Darrell Clarke’s tenure as Barnsley head coach began with a 2-1 home defeat to his former club Mansfield Town on Friday.

The newly-promoted visitors raced into a 2-0 lead on 19 minutes, with the hosts beginning very badly, then Luca Connell pulled one back and the Reds created a host of chances but could not level.

New signings Georgie Gent and Matthew Craig started along with goalkeeper Ben Killip who was chosen ahead of summer signing Jackson Smith.

Barnsley announced the signing of USA international goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina on loan from Chelsea for the season 15 minutes before kick-off.

Mansfield started brightly and had the ball in the net after eight minutes but it was ruled out. Debutant Keanu Baccus curled in a shot from outside the box after a corner was cleared but the linesman appeared to rule it out for a touch off the head of Lucas Akins who was standing offside.

The opener arrived soon after. Craig did well to win a brave header after Marc Roberts could not deal with a long ball, then the resulting corner was cleared to veteran Stephen Quinn who curled a fine strike from outside the box into the top corner.

The second goal, six minutes later, saw the visitors work the ball easily down the right then Baccus’ cross was headed in by Lee Gregory from a tight angle at the near post.

Max Watters headed over from a Craig corner.

Clarke took off debutant Gent after 25 minutes for Jon Russell with the Reds changing to a 4-4-2 diamond which matched Mansfield. Craig was at the base with Russell and Luca Connell in the wider positions and Adam Phillips behind the strikers.

Connell shot wide from the edge of the box after the Mansfield goalkeeper lost the ball and Phillips found his captain.

Connell eventually pulled one back, with the aid of a signification deflection, with a shot from the edge of the box after a move involving Phillips and Watters. It was his first goal at Oakwell.

It was almost 2-2 soon after as Phillips’ deflected shot went just wide of the bottom left corner then Watters shot wide from 15 yards out after a scramble in the box.

Cosgrove headed over from a wicked Connell cross from the left wing. He headed another half-chance wide from another Connell cross 30 seconds into the second half.

Connell then had a shot blocked after Watters cleverly headed down a fine Phillips pass.

Connell just missed the top left corner from 25 yards then put Watters clean through but his weak shot was easily saved.

Clarke made a triple change just after the hour with Conor Hourihane, Aiden Marsh and Barry Cotter coming on for Craig, Watters and Corey O’Keeffe.

Connell shot wide again from about 25 yards, just missing the bottom left corner.

Lofthouse – who replaced Connell as Barnsley switched to 3-5-2 to again match Mansfield – charged into the box down the left and crossed low for Marsh whose close-range shot was saved.

Cosgrove then flicked on a Roberts throw and it was caught by the goalkeeper.

Davis Keillor-Dunn, a transfer target for the Reds, curled a free-kick over the bar on 82 minutes.

Cosgrove should have levelled on 85 minutes when Marsh headed down a Lofthouse cross and the striker volleyed over 12 yards out.

Mansfield almost scored a third in the 90th minute but Killip brilliantly clawed out a powerful Hiram Boateng strike from the edge of the box.

Barnsley (3-5-2): Killip; De Gevigney, Roberts, Earl; O’Keeffe (Cotter 62mins), Connell (Lofthouse 77), Craig (Hourihane 62), Phillips, Gent (Russell 25); Watters (Marsh 62), Cosgrove.

Unused: Smith, Lopata.

Goals: Connell 34.

Mansfield (4-4-2 diamond): Pym; Bowery, Flint, Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy; Reed, Baccus, Quinn (Boateng 57mins), Keillor-Dunn; Akins, Gregory (Evans 57).

Unused: Flinders, Lewis, B Quinn, Swan,.

Goal: Quinn 13, Gregory 19.