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Barnsley FC 1 Wigan Athletic 1: (Reds win 5-4 on penalties): No Stendel-ball yet - but hosts stick in there to progress IN the first match of his maiden spell in charge, Daniel Stendel was afforded a day he will never forget and a love affair instantly began and Stendel-ball had lift-off. Second time around, as many observers probably inwardly suspected, it was somewhat different to that magnificent August day when Stendel’s side eviscerated Oxford United 4-0 at the start of the 2018-19 campaign. Ahead of this game in his first official press conference, Stendel spoke about the Reds not being ready in terms of possessing a squad to play his intense, in-your-face brand of football and make a discernible League One impact. The evidence of most of this game confirmed that. But the hosts at least stuck in there on an afternoon when Wigan’s profligacy in front ensured that the scoreboard was the Reds’ friend as time ticked on. Wigan should have been home and hosed, but weren’t. All they had to show for a fair bit of dominance was Dara Costelloe’s 40th-minute strike. They were punished when the hosts new captain Cam McGeehan turned in a cross from the hosts’ best outfield player in Reyes Cleary to level it up on 81 minutes. A Cleary at his best, or even near his best, represented Barnsley’s best offensive weapon by some way. It remains to be seen if he is still wearing a red jersey come the autumn. Here, Barnsley - with a bit of help from Wigan, it has to be said - got to penalties. A total of 11 out of 12 spot-kicks were scored, with the big moment seeing debutant Rogan Ravenhill deny Jon Mellish. The Reds converted all six penalties to prevail 6-5. Josh Earl stuck the winning effort, with McGeehan, Patrick Kelly, Sam Gale, Luca Connell and Cleary also netting. There may be a fair amount of conjecture about whether starting the season with an EFL Cup tie is the real thing or constitutes a glorified friendly, so to speak, but what was not in doubt was that Stendel’s first competitive selection was certainly striking. Sure, there were expected debuts for Gale, Amani Richards and Makenzie Kirk alongside a second debut for McGeehan, who wore the captain’s armband ahead of Connell. The promotion of Arley Kay, 20 - son of ex-Barnsley player Antony - to start a competitive Reds game for the first time was also expected after proving to be the biggest surprise in pre-season according to Stendel. A full bow for Leeds lad Luke Alker, 19, was more of a shock, while lifelong Barnsley fan and hometown boy Ravenhill, 20, stepped out in goal for his debut due to loan keeper Cieran Slicker picking up an injury in training earlier in the week. Meanwhile, summer arrival Tyrese Noslin missed out because he was serving a one-game suspension from his time in the Netherlands. Absent from the match-day squad all together were Kelechi Nwakali, Georgie Gent, Leo Farrell and Keiren Flavell with teenagers Noah Town, Noah Saunders and Jake Andrassy all named on the bench, which featured just seven names as opposed to the permitted nine. Amid gorgeous sunshine, it was not exactly a pretty first half from the Reds, with the only saving grace being that Wigan were not out of sight when they really should have been at least two or three goals up. The Wigan goal - which had been long in coming in truth - came ahead of the break when Costelloe, who had spurned a huge early chance with a fresh-air shot in front of goal, faring better when he tapped in following James Carragher’s back-post assist, with Ravenhill’s positioning being rather suspect. In fairness, Ravenhill had shown his prowess earlier, making a big one-on-one save to deny the lively Chris Sze after a surging unchecked run from Connor Barrett. He also did well to beat away a fierce shot from danger man Sze. Barnsley were opened up on several occasions in worrying fashion and looked particularly susceptible down their left. Earlier, the post came to the hosts' rescue after Fraser Murray was in the clear following Earl’s weak back header. The Latics man really should have scored. Barnsley’s best moment came when a sweeping pass from Connell found Reyes Cleary - the pair were among just four starters in the home line-up from the final game of last season. The winger cut inside and saw his swerving shot fly just wide. A second would have sealed it for Wigan and it nearly arrived early on the resumption with Jensen Weir firing his shot inches wide. Stendel had made his first change at the interval, with Kirk - who made little impact - making way for Jono Bland, with Cleary switching to a central role, while Kay moved to left back with Alker pushed further forward. Barnsley, no doubt relieved by Wigan’s charity in front of their goal, were still in the game at least and probed for a leveller. That was reinforced when Latics showed their wasteful side again when Murray got away from Gale just inside the Reds half and homed in towards goal, only to fire straight at Ravenhill. Barnsley eventually pieced together a decent move involving Kelly and Alker, with Connell’s shot deflected just wide of goal. Soon after, McGeehan’s strike flew over. In fairness, home punters seated in the East Stand, the only section of the ground open to Reds followers, kept behind those in red. That patience was rewarded when McGeehan arrived on cue in the box to fire the ball home following fine work from Cleary on the left. Wigan were suddenly rocking. Connell shot at Walsh in stoppage-time before an offside flag thwarted Latcis substitute K’Marni Miller in celebration at the other end after he netted. Penalties, it was. And a further twist. Barnsley: Ravenhill; Kay, Gale, Earl, Alker; McGeehan, Connell, Richards (Town 82), Kelly, Cleary, Kirk (Bland HT). Substitutes unused: Andrassy, Shepherd, O'Keeffe, Hudson, Saunders. Wigan Athletic: Walsh, Carragher, Fox, Mellish; Barrett (Higgins 74), Power, Weir, Murray, Sze, (Brenan 64), Costelloe (Miller 74); Perkins (Harris 83). Substitutes unused: Watson, Chilokoa-Mullen, Chapman, Bolland, Rimmer. Referee: R Eley (Derby). Attendance: 4,414 (522 Wigan supporters).