Bolton Wanderers' U23s lost 1-0 to Barnsley U23s at Oakwell in the Professional Development League on Friday.
The home side started on the front foot, with Jordan Williams running down the right flank before crossing the ball low into the Wanderers penalty area, finding Gerry McDonagh but his attempted shot couldn’t find the target.
David Lee’s side came back into it through Stephen Duke-McKenna, as he found himself in a goal scoring position from six yards out but the angle was against him, as he smashed his effort wide.
A cross from Williams for the Tykes found McDonagh’s head, but he couldn’t find the mark.
Joe Pritchard had a chance to open the scoring for Bolton, but his thunderbolt like shot was mere millimetres from finding the back of the net.
After the break and Duke-McKenna had chances in the second half, but his finish wasn’t to be seen as he dragged his shot.
The home side then had a penalty after a foul from Dennis Politic on Ben Williams.
McDonagh took the spot kick and goalkeeper James Aspinall saved both the penalty and the follow up from Jared Bird expertly.
With minutes left in the game, Barnsley managed to take the led through Amir Berkovits.
Wanderers got caught on the break, allowing for McDonagh to unleash an effort from distance which was saved by Aspinall, but followed up by Berkovits who rounded Aspinall for a simple tap in.
The Trotters continued to press until the end, threatening the Tykes backline until the final whistle, but were unable to find the equaliser.
Wanderers XI: Aspinall, Muscatt, Earing, Zouma, Brockbank, Wood, Connell, Politic (Argent-Barnes 73'), McKenna, Pritchard, Dyer (Navarro 73')
Unused substitutes: Jones-Griffiths, James