COVENTRY City Under 18s got their 2010/11 Premeir Academy League campaign off to a winning start with a 3-2 win away to Barnsley.

Gregor Rioch's side successfully resisted a late rally from the Tykes to open their new season with a win thanks to strikes from Gael Bigirimana, Luke Bottomer and Billy Daniels.

Barnsley enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the first half hour but it was Bigirimana who broke the deadlock for City on 38 minutes.

The midfielder dropped his shoulder to beat his man on the right flank before cutting inside and slotting an effort into the net off the inside of the far post from an acute angle.

Bottomer them made it two for the Sky Blues two minutes before the break following a text-book counter-attack.

The midfielder actually sparked the move off with a tackle on the edge of his own area, the ball finding Conor Thomas who rushed up the pitch, playing a trhrough pass to Bottomer who had ran 80 yards up the pitch to join the attack before finding himself in a one-on-one with the 'keeper and sending a shot into the roof of the net with the outside of his boot.

Daniels then added a third with eight minutes of the second half gone, Bottomer getting to the Barnsley byline and cutting a ball back for the waiting striker who fired high into the net from 12 yards out.

Barnsley nearly got a goal back just two minutes later from the penalty only to be denied by a double save from City shotstopper Lee Burge.

Burge though made an uncharacteristic mistake on the hour to gift the hosts a goal, squaring a backpass straight to the Tykes striker who rolled the ball into an empty net.

Barnsley were then awarded a second penalty on 85 minutes which they duly dispatched, leaving Coventry to ride out the final five minutes of normal time and six minutes of injury time to claim their first win of the season.

Rioch said: "It is obviously a little bit disappointing when you concede two goals but to get the first win under the belt is fantastic for the lads because they thoroughly deserved it.

"They played some great football in the first 45 minutes despite not creating too many chances but they stuck to the task and I wasa pleased to the see the way they held on during what was alot of injury time."