A GOAL eight minutes from time from Barnsley substitute George Moncur proved decisive as the League One outfit turned the game on its head despite a bright, positive performance from a much-changed Latics side.

The impressive Sam Surridge had given Athletic a 31st minute lead in their opening Checkatrade Trophy group stage encounter with a superbly taken strike before Victor Adeboyejo equalised with half-time approaching.

Frankie Bunn made no fewer than seven changes to the team which started against Crawley on Saturday.

Zeus De La Paz replaced Daniel Iversen in goal after the Dane was called up to the Danish under-21 squad. Andy Taylor captained the side with Tom Hamer, Mohamed Maouche, Callum Lang, Jonathan Benteke and Surridge also given the nod.

It wasn’t exactly a full-strength Tykes team either in front of 1,786 under the lights at Boundary Park.

Athletic started well – full of energy and desire, refusing to allow the League One outfit any time on the ball. Bunn’s men played some decent football at times too, moving the ball nice and quickly.

Maouche impressed in the middle of the park, while Surridge - more on him later - was outstanding.

Taylor, on set-piece duties, had the first chance in the opening few minutes when his free kick from the right side of the box was well saved by Jack Walton in the Barnsley goal.

Lang was next to go close and perhaps should have done better when he could only fire Hamer’s long throw from the right straight at Walton.

Barnsley had a handful of half-chances in an open first half in which De La Paz looked assured. Surridge, at the centre of a debate over whether it was his or an own goal on Saturday, would have no such worries tonight when he most definitely put Latics ahead on 31 minutes. And how.

Showing sheer strength to hold off a defender, the Bournemouth loanee closed in on goal and coolly picked his spot. Michael Owen-esque may be too strong a comparison but it was up there with any of Eoin Doyle’s from last season.

The lead lasted only 12 minutes however, when, following an Athletic corner, the Oakwell side countered. The ball eventually fell to Adeboyejo in the box who prodded it into the net.

The second half continued in much the same vein but without any real clear-cut chances as, first Jose Baxter (for Christopher Missilou), then Chris O’Grady for the impressive Surridge, were introduced. Surridge presumably given the hook with one eye on Saturday. At times he was unplayable.

Johan Branger-Engone went close for Latics when he fired into the side netting then Cam McGeehan placed a free header over the top for the visitors who had begun to get a stranglehold on the game.

Sure enough, it was the South Yorkshire side who found the winner when Moncur was allowed to pick his spot inside the box with eight minutes to go.

And though Benteke’s header was well saved in the dying moments, Athletic couldn’t quite force an equaliser.

LATICS (4-4-2): De La Paz, Hamer, Edmundson, Graham, Taylor (cpt); Branger-Engone, Maouche, Missilou (Baxter 58), Benteke; Lang (Gardner 74), Surridge (O’Grady 60). Subs (not used): McFarlane (GK), Stott, Hunt, Clarke.

BARNSLEY: Walton, Lindsay (Pinnock 46), McGeehan, Isgrove (Thiam 68), Bird, Jackson, Bahre (Moncur 73), J Williams, B Williams, Adeboyejo, Brown. Subs (not used): Greatorex, Moon, Helliwell, Feeney. Booked: Jackson.

Attendance: 1,786 (443 away)