'A waste of time': Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane on mid-table 'mediocrity' + David McGoldrick's pre-derby message to Billy Sharp

The current League One table reads as follows: Played 36 games, won 13, drawn 11, lost 12. Goals for 59, goals against 59. Twelfth place.

Tuesday night saw the Reds reach the perceived safety mark of 50 points for the season, to all but extinguish any lingering fears of being dragged into a late-season relegation fight.

They have a couple of games in hand on the side occupying the final top-six slot in Reading, but are eight points adrift. Two-thirds of the way through what Conor Hourihane labelled as a week of destiny on that count, successive draws mean that a play-off push now looks pretty unlikely.

As for any suggestions that Barnsley have nothing to play for, but can at least relax? Well, that would draw a pretty withering look from Hourihane.

The Reds head coach doesn't do ‘coasting’.

He made that message quite clear to players at half-time of Tuesday's game with Wigan Athletic and anyone who goes through the motions both in future games and in training between now and season's end will face repercussions, for sure. It’s happened before.

Speaking in forceful terms, Hourihane, whose side host Doncaster Rovers in a South Yorkshire derby this weekend, said: "It's a waste of time being mid-table, to be honest with you. That's my biggest gripe about Tuesday night.

"It's hard work constantly to win games of football. You always have a decision to make every single day. Do you want to get up early and work? Do you want to kind of have a lazy day? Do you want to be relentless all the time?

"And it's hard work to make the difficult decision. And that's to run around all the time and put huge efforts into each and every single game.

"Last year, it was a mediocre season for the club. This year, do we want to let it peter out and be a mediocre season? Maybe... And time will tell on that.

"But I just think it's such a waste of time. Every single day, get up every morning, work your backside off and let's see where it takes you. And sometimes I get disappointed because there's a way to lose and there's a way to draw.

"On Tuesday night, it was just that little bit of lack of the hard work that cost us an opportunity to climb up the table again."

One player who can never be accused of swinging the lead is the Reds’ standard-setter in David McGoldrick, 38 years young.

The good friend who he renews acquaintances with on Saturday in former Sheffield United team-mate Billy Sharp is cut from similar cloth - and even more senior at 40.

Rovers chief Grant McCann has regularly praised not just the nous and forward prowess of Sharp, but also his application every day in terms of pushing himself, doing extras and not wanting to take it easy at his seasoned age.

Speaking last month amid Sharp's 40th birthday celebrations, McCann observed: "He trains every single day. He doesn't want a day off.

"The amount of times I've spoken to him and said: 'leave Monday, see you Tuesday' or 'leave Tuesday, see you Thursday'. It's 'no, no, I need to train. I want to train.'

Sharp's reunion with fellow Bramall Lane legend McGoldrick forms a tasty subplot to derby day.

The competitive juices will be flowing for sure among two class acts who need to be savoured while they are still on the professional stage.

Both are out of contract this summer and have decisions to make.

McGoldrick's recent goal rush culminated in him being named as League One's player-of-the-month for February and he is on course for another 20-goal season haul.

Sharp is a wee bit behind, having not been utilised as much of late. But the fires are still burning as he inches closer to 300 career goals.

The respect between the pair is self-evident.

McGoldrick said: "I know Sharpy will be watching to see what I'm scoring and he won't want me to outscore him!

"He’s a phenomenal guy. He's always available to play for Doncaster and will still score.

"I don't know when he's going to call it a day. You (journalists) might be doing an interview with him in 10 years. He could be that guy that's 40-odd and still playing.

"It's good competition. I think without even talking to him about it, he always looks at me hoping that I do well. I'm always looking at him and hoping he does well.

"But at the same time, does that help your competition? Sharp and McGoldrick, who's going to score more?

"He was 'fighting' online (recently) because they said he'd scored nine (this season), and then he said 10, didn't he? So that's Billy Sharp for you there."