Carlisle United 3 Barnsley 0 – Reds humbled by League Two side in Carabao Cup
Daniel Stendel made wholesale changes to allow everyone some early-season minutes but he might wish he had not have bothered after a humbling 3-0 defeat at Oakwell.
Goals from Harry McKirdy, Jack Bridge and Nathan Thomas secure the League Two side an impressive win and one that will leave Stendel with more questions than answers.
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Hide AdThe German made seven changes from the side that lost at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and one of them, Aapo Halme, was culpable for the Reds falling behind in the 24th minute.
The Leeds loanee let a pass run through his legs for the goalkeeper, only for McKirdy to steal in and prod the ball past a helpless Brad Collins from close range.
Stendel will have been expecting a response after the break but he saw his side fall further behind just before the hour.
Mads Andersen fouled McKirdy and Bridge fired home from the spot.
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Hide AdThe Reds had been poor, but were almost handed a lifeline on the hour, but Cauley Woodrow was denied by the woodwork as his header from Jordan Williams' cross hit the post.
Thomas, on loan from Sheffield United, completed the scoring for the Cumbrians six minutes later after he burst into the penalty area and fired past Collins.
Barnsley: Collins, J Williams, Andersen, Halme, Pinillos, Wilks (Thomas 61), McGeehan, Styles (Millers 74), Chaplin (Bahre 60), Woodrow, Thiam
Unused: Radlinger, B Williams, Sibbick, Moon
Carlisle: Collin, Elliot, Webster, Knight-Percival, Iredale, Bridge, Jones, Scougall, Thomas (Hope 76), Loft (Hayden 81), McKirdy (Oloma 65)
Unused subs: Sagaf, Gray, Branthwaite, Mellish
Attendance: 5,208