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Match preview
Will 2004 League Cup winners Middlesbrough avoid crashing out in the first round in back-to-back seasons?
12 months ago, Boro were hammered 3-0 by Blackpool at this stage, but did go onto have a memorable FA Cup adventure.
Chris Wilder’s dumped out Manchester United and Tottenham en route to the club’s first FA Cup quarter-final since 2-0, where they were swatted aside by Chelsea.
This season, many were tipping Middlesbrough for promotion but, to date, they’ve got just one point on the board, drawing with West Brom and then losing 3-2 at QPR.
So, will Boro’s season get up and running at the Riverside?
Barnsley meantime are back in League One having finished rock bottom of the Championship last season.
In this competition, Barnsley have been beaten in the first round ten times since 2003, including last season’s defeat at the hands of Bolton.
This tally is set to rise to 11 on Teeside.