BARNSLEY boss Mark Robins has asked his players to erase the memories of the 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle with better showings in this weeks double-header at Oakwell. The Reds face struggling Crystal Palace on Saturday before taking on high-flying Nottingham Forest three days later. He said: "We've got to put that Newcastle result down to experience, and not a good experience at that!"

CAPTAIN Stephen Foster is crystal clear that they need to show their fans a good performance at Oakwell on Saturday after the drubbing at Newcastle. The skipper said: "It wasn't a nice feeling being on the receiving end in that second half and I have every sympathy for the fans who went up there in large numbers to cheer us on. "The aim is to play to our potential and take maximum points if we can."

A FEW hours before the first team lost heavily to Newcastle United in the Championship, Barnsley Academy under 18s went down 4-1 at home to the Magpies' young guns. Barnsley played well throughout but were undone in a devastating eight-minute spell midway through the first half which saw the visitors, who have now won seven in a row and are in the FA Youth Cup semi-finals, net three times. Reuben Noble-Lazarus struck after the break but a potentially offside goal made it 4-1 late on. The young Reds' next game is at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

KATHERINE Brunt led the line for England as they won two out of three Twenty20 matches on their tour of India to record their first ever series win there. The Dodworth girl took a wicket in the first over in the final match in Mumbai on Monday and England went onto win by five wickets. The previous week the hosts wrapped up the one-day series in which Brunt finished as the tourists' leading wicket taker and recorded her best ever figures of five for 22 in the second match.

TEAM Shindo Kai picked up 26 medals in their first competition of the year at AMA International Karate Championships in Sheffield. This was the squad’s first competition of 2010 and featured teams from Iran, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland as well as a large English contingent. Gold medals came from Katie Dalzell, Isabel Gaunt, Dane Fox, Chloe Sheldon, Sally Wenham and Donna Healey. Sheldon and Wenham made it two medals as they picked up a bronze with the ladies team which also included Siobhan Hayes and Amanda Ward. For more details of medal winners see this week's Chronicle.

BARNSLEY RUFC First XV made it two wins in a row at Shaw Lane after 13 unanswered points in the second half saw them defeat Pocklington 21-10. The Shaw Laners followed up on their 14-13 win over Ripon two weeks ago as man of the match Arron Gaunt ran in a crucial try after Andrew Appleyard scored a sensational individual effort from inside his own half on his way to a 16-point haul. Barnsley now face high-flyers Knottingley away.

SWIMMING star James hook recorded six personal bests at the Yorkshire Age Group Championships. The 10-year-old from Dodworth reached five finals and was a quarter of a second away from a medal in the 200m breaststroke.