Barnsley 1 Doncaster 0: Ins and outs are now occupying thoughts of Tykes and Rovers

For the Reds’ constituents, involvement in the exclusive play-off group when it sits for a late Spring gathering as opposed to finding themselves on the outside is a pertinent issue.

Paul Heckingbottom is also most definitely campaigning to be ‘in’ when it comes to landing the permanent head coaching post at Oakwell.

As for Rovers, ‘in or out’ is starting to assume a fair amount of importance, too.

Currently, they are outside of the League One relegation positions, but not by too much, with their descent down the table coming at an increasing rate of knots.

Questions abound as to whether they will get enough ‘in’ votes – points that is – to stay in the third tier.

Another thing can be taken as read. After Barnsley’s morale-sapping late loss in the reverse fixture, Rovers will now be knowing how their neighbours were feeling on that autumnal afternoon.

The Reds’ late winner on Saturday, courtesy of substitute Ashley Fletcher’s first league goal for the club, arrived a wee bit earlier in proceedings than Richard Chaplow’s strike at the Keepmoat on October 3.

But it was a blow in the solar plexus all the same for a Doncaster side who have lost their mojo as Barnsley claimed a sweet touch of payback.

In terms of Heckingbottom’s quest to be appointed as the full-time successor to Lee Johnson, the result will not have done his cause any harm whatsoever.

Barnsley were pleasing on the eye in the first period and while they lost their way at the start of the second half, Heckingbottom was relatively quick to act and his decision to throw on Fletcher on the hour mark bore fruit courtesy of his 81st-minute winner.

In the process, Keighley lad Fletcher, on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season, was afforded the sort of moment at the start of a burgeoning career that all young players will remember.

It was a real striker’s goal, too, with Fletcher showing a predatory instinct to be in the right place after Thorsten Stuckmann’s unconvincing parry from Conor Hourihane’s low shot.

Fletcher said: “I am really happy and scoring my first league goal is up there with the Fleetwood goal (JP Trophy).

“It got to a stage of the game where the gaffer felt I could come on and make a difference and I am happy I did that.

“They are the kind of goals I like. In a way they are easy, but hard as well at the same time and you really have to concentrate.”

On Heckingbottom’s impact, Fletcher believes that continuity is clearly yielding its rewards.

“He’s very good and he’s got the right philosophy and is just carrying on as the old manager did. Nothing has really changed at all and he’s very good with me and knows how to manage me and I like him,” he said.

“He was a coach anyway when the gaffer (Lee Johnson) was here, so the lads know him and we are playing for him and the team.”

The Reds went into Saturday’s game with a return of nine goals in their previous two home wins and while no goals were registered in the first half, it was not for the want of trying.

With winger Adam Hammill in irresistible form, the hosts exuded attacking joie de vivre at times.

The only thing missing was a goal, with top-scorer Sam Winnall heading wide early on and Stuckmann making a fine save to deny Hammill, and also tipping over Alfie Mawson’s point-blank header.

Rovers, after a low-key start, had a couple of half-decent moments with Mitchell Lund failing to convert a header when well placed and Paul Keegan dragging a shot wide.

The visitors saw another big opportunity fall to Lund, switched to the right-hand side of midfield from right-back after Craig Alcock came on, but his powerful shot was straight at Adam Davies.

Rovers failed to significantly kick on and Barnsley regrouped.

It still looked like being one of those days with Stuckmann denying Hourihane and Winnall, only for him to fail to hold Hourihane’s low shot, which took a slight deflection, enabling Fletcher to pounce.

Rovers defender Cedric Evina claimed: “We deserved at least a draw. We defended really well and I thought the back five did well. We didn’t compete with Sheffield United last week, but got in amongst it here.

“Losing two derby games really hurts. Perhaps we need to be more lethal in the final third. We’ll be back, though.”

Barnsley: Davies; Bree, Roberts, Mawson, White (G Williams 25); Isgrove (Fletcher 60), Brownhill (Scowen 60), Hourihane, Hammill; Watkins, Winnall. Unused substitutes: Townsend, Khan, Nyatanga, Tuton.

Doncaster Rovers: Stuckmann; Lund, McCullough, Taylor-Sinclair, Evina; Stewart (Alcock 53), Keegan (Gooch 82), Middleton (Coppinger 45), Grant; A Williams, Tyson. Unused substitutes: Marosi, Mandeville, Chaplow, Gooch, Butler.

Referee: A Madley (West Yorkshire).

Man of the match: Adam Hammill.