"When you look down that teamsheet at the start of the game you could see that every single available superstar City had was on it. You did wonder what you would get and I thought City played well.
"We rode our luck at times as well but I was very, very pleased with our performance. It is something to build on ahead of the opener at Sheffield Wednesday next week.
"You can never relax for one moment against a team like Manchester City and they showed that at the end to get a goal. We have gone through pre-season undefeated but I would swap every one of those wins and today's draw for victory at Sheffield Wednesday next weekend. We have not picked up any injuries today so hopefully we will have a clean bill of health this week.
"O'Neil (Thompson) did very well. We brought him in as a centre back but he can also play in midfield and we had to throw him in there today. It was the toughest trial you could ever have and it really was sink or swim. I thought he swam today. He has only trained once with us and he will stay until Thursday. We will make a decision over the next five days or so.
"I wish there was an extra week to get our players in but this is what we are in the job for. You live for the competitive matches.
"We are very close to getting Adam Hammill into the football club. It is not signed, sealed or delivered but we are close. The only problem is that he is due to have an operation to remove his wisdom teeth on Monday so I do not know whether he would be fit enough for Hillsborough. We are very close to that as well as one more and probably 60/40 to getting another two.
"It has been a frustrating pre-season trying to get players in. We have our targets and we are close to bringing them in. The problems are not at our end and they are not financial from our point of view. We just keep getting obstacles put in front of us from the other side but we - Patrick Cryne and myself - are working tirelessly to bring new faces into the football club".
Simon was talking to www.barnsleyfc.co.uk