Barnsley v Doncaster Rovers: Bogdanovic keeping Barnsley waiting over new deal

Fans' favourite Bogdanovic has rejected the Oakwell club's initial offer and intends keeping his options open until the end of the season.

Although Barnsley are trying to persuade the 30-year-old to stay, there is a danger that they may lose his services on a free.

Bogdanovic, who has scored 19 goals in 34 starts since arriving in English football 14 months ago, is set to spearhead Barnsley's attack today.

After back-to-back defeats against Ipswich Town and Bristol City, the much-travelled striker admits that his side need to get back to winning ways to retain any serious hope of play-off qualification.

"We have to get back on track so we can keep looking forward," he said. "We are definitely going to get 50 points – if we don't do that we need to jump in the sea and drown!

"If we stay focused and learn from the mistakes of past games we will get more than 50 points," he added. "We have a game in hand and home games to come against Doncaster, QPR, Derby, and Peterborough that we can win."

Today's opponents Rovers have won many plaudits for their stylish football but Bogdanovic insists that 'winning' is far more important.

Barnsley have won the last three meetings between the sides and a goal from Adam Hammil secured a 1-0 victory at the Keepmoat in October.

"Football is nice to watch but if you don't score you don't win," he said. "I would (always) put my money on winning 1-0 and playing ugly football than doing all this nice stuff and losing 1-0!"

A midweek defeat against Newcastle ended a run of six games unbeaten for Rovers, who are three points above Barnsley, having played a game more.

"I didn't expect them to be this high in the table but you cannot reach this kind of place just by playing football," he said. "To be up there, you have to battle off the ball too. The best way to deal with them is to narrow the space. Then we have to hurt them when we have the ball."

Today's game will have a twist of irony for Rovers midfielder John Oster.

The former Welsh international joined the Tykes on loan nine years ago but never got the opportunity to play at Oakwell following the sacking of manager Nigel Spackman.

Oster made just two appearances, both away from home, before he was sent back to Sunderland by Spackman's successor Steve Parkin. He was also suspended when the two sides met earlier this season.

Looking ahead to this afternoon, Oster said: "We are going there full of confidence even though the last two results have not gone our way.

"We have lost only one in seven, we have been playing well, and we didn't get the result we felt we deserved at the start of the season. "