HALF TIME FROM OAKWELL BARNSLEY 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 0 PRE-season games often throw up halves of football that are keenly contested but played in a friendly spirit with neither side really testing each other and it was more of the same at Oakwell as Barnsley and Boro cancelled each other out in the opening 45 minutes. Reds boss Andy Ritchie named probably his strongest starting eleven for the clash with Premiership side Middlesbrough with new boys Michael McIndoe and Sam Togwell making their Oakwell bows. Boro boss Gareth Southgate also gave a run out to a virtual full strength starting eleven as he looked to cast his eye over his new charges ahead of the big Premier League kick off. After a cagey opening, the Reds burst into life on seven minutes as McIndoe caught the Middlesbrough defence napping before racing in on goal but shot straight at Ross Turnbull from the edge of the area. At the other end Massimo Maccarone went close with a shot from distance two minutes later but his effort deflected harmlessly away for a corner kick before Adam Johnson finally tested Colgan with a low drive on eleven minutes. More neat play by Maccarone and Johnson have Fabio Rochemback a chance on 15 minutes but the Brazilian could only shoot straight at Colgan following a neat turn in the penalty area. Rochemback again tested the leather on his boots four minutes later with a rasping drive from fully 30 yards which flew inches over the top. Although a pre-season game it was a decision by referee Darren Drysdale that incensed the home crows as McIndoe combined well with Brian Howard to send the former Swindon Town midfielder clean through in the area only to tumble under Ray Parlour's clumsy challenge from behind. Amazingly the referee gave nothing even though Howard was clean in on Turnbull's goal before Parlour's tackle. McIndoe was the creator again on the half hour as he broke through the middle before setting Marc Richards in on goal but the striker could only put his low shot straight at Turnbull with the goal gaping. Middlesbrough were always going to be a threat and their precision and swift passing freed Parlour on 39 minutes but the ex-England international could only smash the ball into the advertising boards after jinking his way into the area. The visitors created more half chances than anything else with Rochemback and Yakubu going close in the dying minutes of the half. Richards thought he had put the Reds into the lead on the stroke of half time as he crashed a free kick under the wall but away off the foot of the upright after being upended from behind by George Boateng. BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Heckingbottom, Reid, Togwell, Hayes, McIndoe, Howard, Kay, Richards, Devaney. Subs: McParland, Austin, Wroe, Tonge, Williams, Coulson, Wright, Healy. MIDDLESBROUGH: Turnbull, Parnaby, Pogatez, Rochemback, Riggott, Ehiogu, Boateng, Parlour, Yakubu, Maccarone, Johnson. Subs: Kennedy, Graham, Davis, Goulon, Steele.
