BARNSLEY fans had plenty to smile about last night as star striker Iain Hume made his first professional start for nine months.
The Canadian hitman was not expected to feature in either of the club's two pre-season fixtures against non-league opposition, but having overcome legal 'red tape' was given the all-clear.
Reds boss Simon Davey had been keen to involve Hume, but o
n Monday said the player was still waiting clearance to play following the ongoing legal wranglings regarding his life-threatening fractured skull last November.
But the £1.2million forward featured as a second half substitute as the Reds edged Gainsborough United 1-0 at the Northolme Stadium. He played 40 minutes and nearly scored with his first touch.
Davey fielded strong sides in both games with another Reds team comfortable 3-1 winners away to Frickley Athletic at the Tech5 Stadium.
Kayode Odejayi bagged his fifth goal in as many matches in the 1-0 win over Gainsborough, a clinical strike on the stroke of half time.
Goals from Martin Devaney, Jacob Butterfield and Daniel Bogdanovic did the trick against Frickley, as Davey handed starts to new trialist Deogo Costa and another chance to Sheffield United defender Maxime Chanot, who is also on trial at the club.
At Gainsborough there were debuts for trialists Anduele Prior, a Dutch winger, centre-half Jurgen Chedzel and Benin international defender John Glele.
Davey told The Star: "I'm still looking to bring players in before the kick-off. I've got three or four targets and I'm working hard to get them."
Brazilian Anderson De Silva was rested, having picked up an ankle injury in last week's training trip to Malaga. The midfielder is expected to be in the frame to feature away to Bradford City on Saturday.
Barnsley v Gainsborough: Steele, Hassell, Moore, Chedzel, Glele (Potter 63), Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Heslop, Prior, Odejayi, Sodje (Hume 50).
v Frickley Athletic: Preece, Kozluk, Foster, Chanot, El Haimour, Devaney, Costa, Adam, Butterfield, Macken, Bogdanovic. Subs: Hibbert, Noble-Lazarus.
Got a view? Add your comment below. READ FREE Ashes E-MAG:
Click here to read our free 16-page E-Mag on line. Sponsored by the ECB, it features exclusive interviews with Ravi Bopara and Richie Benaud plus photos of both squads, an Ashes history and stats. READ FREE Twenty20 Cup 2009 E-MAG:
Click here to read our Twenty20 Cup 2009 e-mag for FREE on line. BUY ONLINE:
Buy The Star - Monday to Saturday - for local news, sport, features and ads. Sign up on line by clicking here. READ MORE SPORTFootball headlines. Football gossip. Blades news Owls news Reds news. Millers news. More rugby. More boxing. Sports columnists. All sport categories READ MORE NEWSMain news index Your letters South Yorkshire's environmental news Kids Zone More business news More Rotherham news More Doncaster news More Barnsley news Latest sport
