Barnsley coming together on and off the pitch in order to help secure instant return to Championship

WHEN Barnsley's squad return for training on Friday after a couple of days off, manager Michael Duff will be "sniffing" out complacency and jumping on it immediately.

A run of 10 wins – including victories over Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday – and two draws in 12 games has turned the Reds from League One play-off hopefuls to automatic promotion candidates.

But Duff will not allow anyone to get carried away after ending the Owls' 23-match unbeaten league run with a televised 4-2 win.

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"They know where we're at now," he said. "If they get carried away with themselves we'll smell it in the next training session. We gave them two days off but they'll be in Friday, Saturday because we're trying to keep the week as normal as possible.

"If we smell it they'll get told but I think they know that eight o'clock on a Tuesday night, three o'clock on a Saturday is a window into your working week. What we saw on Tuesday was the demands they put on each other every day and it just becomes the norm, rather than, 'Oh, it (the ground) is full today, we'd better get up for this one.'

"If you do things right all the time you've got more chance of winning the game because the result looks after itself.

"They've understood that and it's taken a lot of work to get that into them because of the changes in the summer.

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"But they've realised they all need each other and the reaction of the fourth goal from all the subs, all the staff, the supporters, I'm sure the director's box was the same, it's a brilliant feeling and it's important we harness those feelings.

TEAM WORK: Barnsley goalkeeper Harry Isted (centre) makes a save during Tuesday's 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Oakwell. Picture: Tim Goode/PATEAM WORK: Barnsley goalkeeper Harry Isted (centre) makes a save during Tuesday's 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Oakwell. Picture: Tim Goode/PA
TEAM WORK: Barnsley goalkeeper Harry Isted (centre) makes a save during Tuesday's 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Oakwell. Picture: Tim Goode/PA

"They're starting to understand it's not just about them because everyone at the football club won on Tuesday, even the ones who didn't get on the bench.

"That's the most important part, we all won, not, 'Well I didn't play so I don't feel like I won.'"

Emphasising the togetherness is the contributions substitutes have made recently, which Max Watters coming off the bench to score Tuesday's crucial third goal.

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"It just goes to show coming off the bench is just as important as starting," said the striker. "Credit to Nors (James Norwood) and Coley (Devante Cole) for running their legs off in the first 60-80 minutes, it made it a little bit easier for us to get in behind."

IN IT TOGETHER: Barnsley's James Norwood (centre) celebrates scoring his side's second goal in the 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday Picture: Tim Goode/PAIN IT TOGETHER: Barnsley's James Norwood (centre) celebrates scoring his side's second goal in the 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday Picture: Tim Goode/PA
IN IT TOGETHER: Barnsley's James Norwood (centre) celebrates scoring his side's second goal in the 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday Picture: Tim Goode/PA

Substitutes were a huge weapon for Barnsley when they reached the Championship play-offs under Valerien Ismael and Duff is also using them to get maximum energy from his front players.

"Particularly the front two, we ask a lot," he said. "They set up all the presses, we ask them to run in behind and hold it up.

"Boban (Slobodan Tedic)'s definitely joined the party and Oli Shaw's not even in the squad at the minute."

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The only disappointment for Barnsley is that they do not have a game on Saturday. In-form Ipswich Town were able to postpone it because they expected to reach the threshold of three international call-ups, only for Jamaica to overlook Greg Leigh.

CONFIDENT: Barnsley manager Michael Duff , pictured at Oakwell on Tuesday night Picture: Tim Goode/PACONFIDENT: Barnsley manager Michael Duff , pictured at Oakwell on Tuesday night Picture: Tim Goode/PA
CONFIDENT: Barnsley manager Michael Duff , pictured at Oakwell on Tuesday night Picture: Tim Goode/PA

"When you're doing well all you want to do is play the next game and missing the game at the weekend, it would have been good for us to play but we look forward to next week and hopefully we can get a win then," said Watters, whose side are at Exeter City on Tuesday.

"All the players in the team know what we're good at, we know we've got the capabilities to beat anyone in the league. Tuesday just goes to show how good our players are.

"As a team we know we've got the belief to win the game and a few results behind us were a massive confidence boost to know we can grind results out.

"We've got a good group and we don't get ahead of ourselves or look behind us."