Barnsley 1 Blackpool 0: Hume and Barnsley keep lid on Wembley dream

The Edinburgh-born Canadian international has endured a frustrating season due to a series of niggling injuries but marked his return to fitness by sliding in the winner for Barnsley just three minutes after coming off the bench.

He hopes that will be enough to put him back in the thoughts of manager Mark Robins for Saturday's trip to leaders Newcastle now that Barnsley are just four points adrift of the play-off places.

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The club's 1.2m buy from Leicester says he no longer dwells on the incident against Sheffield United in November, 2008, when he sustained a fractured skull and internal bleeding and had to be taken to hospital for surgery

But, after his first goal in almost five months and recovery from hamstring trouble, he admits others might have been questioning him.

Talking about his return from the fractured skull, Hume said: "It was not really a mental battle. I just wanted to be out there again training and playing. Sitting watching the lads for seven or eight months was a pain. It wasn't too much a battle in my head because I believed I was going to be back from day one.

"Once I got back fit the first time, I was buzzing and started a run of games but because we have four strikers and with Jay Rodriguez being here for a month and with me being out for so long, you always doubt yourself.

"I am starting to get it back and believing I deserve a spot but it's up to me to show it. I have always believed in my ability and the goal makes up for the hard work I have put in to get back. For it to be the winner which consolidates our position as well as giving us a stepping-stone towards the play-offs means a lot. I think anyone who could see my face could see how much it meant to me.

"Everyone apart from the goalkeeper came up to celebrate. It's such a massive weight off my shoulders for now. But you can't just sit back. I have to do it week in, week out because I know for a fact that people are going to always question me for not scoring enough goals and I question myself as well because I don't. I'm just going to work hard and, fingers crossed, if I can get a bit of luck like I did today then I'm sure I will score a few more."

Barnsley had just one point from five games when Robins took over so Hume does not want to raise expectations too high.

He added: "We do belong where we are on merit and if we can add that little bit of consistency there is every chance we can get ourselves in the play-off area but it is not something we need to think about. We have to believe in what we are doing and how we are playing and I believe we will be in the right place at the end of the season."

His 75th-minute strike – Jon Macken chesting down a free-kick from Bobby Hassell into the path of his run into the area – gave Barnsley a second successive double and was just about the only memorable moment of a poor encounter.

Barnsley captain Stephen Foster celebrated signing a two-year contract extension with a splendid performance at the back.

He was joined in central defence by Ryan Shotton returning from a ban but at least young Luke Potter had the consolation of a two-year contract extension, too, as he made way to the bench.

Barnsley's back four proved so impregnable that Blackpool manager Ian Holloway switched his three strikers with another trio but to no avail.

Holloway said: "What I asked at half-time was 'who's going to give me a spark?' I changed all my front three but no-one really gave me a spark so unfortunately our bonfire is not even smoking. Hopefully, we can light something next week.

"I can't remember such an uneventful match but I can't complain because my boys have been fantastic this season, so I'm going to accept it and move on."

Neither side was prepared to take any risks in the first half and Matt Gilks made the only save from Barnsley full-back Carl Dickinson's free-kick.

Barnsley stepped up a gear after the break, Adam Hammill proving the biggest threat down the left, though he often took the wrong option, and target man Macken kept the Blackpool defence on their toes throughout.

The Reds were the only side ever likely to win it and Robins's decision to replace Daniel Bogdanovic with Hume did the trick.

Barnsley: Steele, Hassell, Foster, Shotton, Dickinson; Teixeira, Colace, Doyle, Hammill; Macken, Bogdanovic (Hume 72). Unused substitutes: Preece, De Silva, Butterfield, Potter, Hallfredsson, Gray.

Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Evatt, Butler, Crainey; Adam, Vaughan, Southern; Campbell (Dobbie 63), Burgess (Euell 81), Ormerod (Bouazza 63). Unused substitutes: Rachubka, Eardley, Demontagnac, Husband.

Referee: J Singh (Middlesex).

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