Barnsley will be on the road in the next round of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy after Bradford City leapfrogged them with an emphatic 5-1 victory.
Both teams had already progressed in the competition by winning their opening two games but it was Bradford who deserved to top the group after overcoming a relatively youthful looking Reds with ease.
As well as securing a home tie in the next round the game afforded an opportunity for Luca Connell and Conor McCarthy to get some more minutes under their belts.
Barnsley also gave debuts to Aaron Atkinson and Charlie Hickingbottom from the start and Vimal Yoganathan was rewarded for his lively cameo at Horsham with a start.
The home side contained two former Reds in Clarke Oduor and Harry Chapman.
The home side were celebrating inside 90 seconds with Matty Platt heading in the opener from a great cross by Chapman.
Jack Shepherd should have tested Colin Doyle as the ball ran to him from Connell’s free-kick but he smashed well over the bar.
Tyler Smith should have doubled the advantage when he wriggled through on goal but his effort was kept out by Ben Killip.
It was two when Andy Cook snapped up a chance on the edge of the box and lashed low past Killip.
Smith rocketed in the third goal on 35 minutes after seizing on a mistake from Shepherd.
Aiden Marsh came within inches of touching Shepherd’s cross goalwards on the stretch and then Oduor struck the post after rounding Killip.
Barnsley started the second half with a bit more intent and Atkinson carved out a chance for Cosgrove but the big striker’s header was gathered by Colin Doyle.
But it was the home side who added to their score on 63 minutes with the ball falling to Lewis Richards on the edge of the box and he curled in.
Oduor made it five with a simple finish with the next attack as he was picked out by Brad Halliday to slot home.
Barry Cotter replaced Sam Cosgrove up front and he struck a consolation goal on 77 minutes with a tidy finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Substitute Emmaisa Nzondo almost got another late on but his effort, from Cory O’Keefe’s cross, was pushed out by Doyle.
Barnsley finished the match with ten men as Shepherd was sent off for fouling Smith when through on goal.
Bradford City: Doyle, Platt, Taylor, Kelly; Halliday, Chapman (Walker 67), Smallwood (Gilliead 67), Oduor (Wilson 82), Richards (Pointon 76); Smith, Cook (Oliver 72).
Unused subs: Lewis, Stubbs.
Barnsley: Killip, McCarthy, Shepherd, Hickingbottom; Dodgson, Atkinson, Connell (Ackroyd 62), Yoganathan (Makiessi 72), O’Keeffe; Marsh (Nzondo 79), Cosgrove (Cotter 62).
Unused subs: Flavell, Pickard, Benjamin.
Referee: Will Finnie.
Attendance: 1,770 (604 from Barnsley).
