Barnsley 2 Darlington 1

THERE will be no League Cup heroics from Darlington this season as they crashed out at the first hurdle last night - and the only had themselves to blame.

Dave Penney's side matched their Championship opposition for much of last night's encounter, but two pieces of slack marking cost them dear.

Barnsley went ahead when Istvan Ferenczi found himself in space and was able to head the hosts into a second half lead, and even thought Tommy Wright equalised the Tykes soon regained the initiative.

This time Paul Reid was unmarked at a corner and was able to fire Barnsley ahead and into the second round of the League Cup -- territory rarely entered by Darlington.

They have beaten clubs from higher divisions in recent years, namely Stoke, Bradford and Nottingham Forest. But they have been Quakers' only successes in recent times as seven times in the last ten seasons they have lost at this stage.

Penney seemed to be taking the oft-derided competition seriously too. He did make four changes to the side which beat Wrexham at the weekend, but it was still a strong line-up and one that would not be out of place in League Two.

David Stockdale started in goal while manager Penney changed three of the back four which started Saturday's win over Wrexham. That meant a debut for John Brackstone at left-back in place of Tim Ryan, while Rob Purdie and Alan White also came into the line-up.

The latter two combined to create the game's first scoring opportunity, allowing themselves to be caught in possession deep in their own half but Peruvian Miguel Mostto wasted his chance by screwing wide.

It proved to be the first of a handful of chances with Barnsley wasting most of them, Mostto heading one straight at Stockdale who did well to hold on to the ball.

Quakers wasted a chance of their own after 15 minutes when defender Steve Foster headed wide after ghosting into space at the far post following a free-kick from deep taken by Kevin McBride.

Barnsley were at it themselves moments later when slack Darlington marking at a corner allowed defender Dennis Souza to rise unchallenged but luckily for the visitors he could not get a good enough contact the ball.

Darlington thought they had won a penalty when former Barnsley striker Tommy Wright clashed with Andy Johnson, but the referee awarded a foul in the Tykes' favour.

The striker soon had a chance from 20 yards when his rising shot looked set for goal, but it flew powerfully just over the crossbar of German keeper Heinz Muller.

After the restart Wright was just inches away from giving Quakers the lead as he flung his body at the ball as it rebounded off Muller, who had parried Foster's downward header direct from a free-kick.

The game stepped up a pace with Barnsley just having the edge. Midfielders Brian Howard and Ricketts were instrumental but got very little change out of Darlington's resolute back four.

The opening goal came an inspired 65th minute Barnsley substitution.

Davey sent on Hungarian international Ferenczi and within 60 seconds he headed in at the far post from Robert Kozluk's right-wing cross.

Five minutes later Darlington levelled when McBride broke down the right and his cross allowed Wright to impressively sweep into the roof of the net from eight yards.

Parity lasted just seven minutes.

A Barnsley corner conceded after sub Micky Cummins had cheaply lost possession found it's way to defender Paul Reid. He had time to line up his shot and pull the trigger to make it 2-1.

Goals: Ferenczi (65mins, 1-0); Wright (70, 1-1); Reid (77, 2-1)

Attendance: 3,780

Bookings: Reid (45mins, obstruction); Ravenhill (85, foul)

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire)

BARNSLEY (3-5-2): Muller 6; Reid 8, Souza 7, Nyatanga 6; Kozluk 7 (McCann 83mins), Howard 8, Johnson 7 (Togwell 69), RICKETTS 8, Werling 6; Odejayi 7, Mostto 5 (Ferenczi 64, 7). Subs (not used): Colgan, Devaney

DARLINGTON (4-4-2): Stockdale 7; Purdie 7, White 7, FOSTER 8, Brackstone 6; Joachim 7, Ravenhill 7, McBride 7 (Blundell 79mins), Palmer 6 (Cummins 65); Wright 8, Abbott 6 (Harty 75). Subs (not used) Wiseman, Burgess

MAN OF THE MATCH: STEVE Foster - First to everything in the air