Barnsley FC v Cheltenham Town: Neill Collins on the bigger picture with Devante Cole plus Reds' main defensive issue

Given that the Barnsley player who replaced him in Sam Cosgrove was outstanding at Brunton Park, even without scoring, alongside one of the Reds’ goalscorers in John McAtee, the odds are surely in favour of 17-goal Cole having to settle for another substitutes’ role again.

Collins’ reasoning for the midweek decision was sound.

After today’s game, Barnsley have a 13-day break from action until Good Friday following the postponement of next weekend’s trip to leaders Portsmouth.

Within that, the chance to get Cole fully refreshed and recharged, mentally and physically, ahead of a busy run home must be an enticing one for the Oakwell head coach.

Collins said: "As much as the physical side, psychologically it’s unheard of for a striker to play as much as Devante has played.

"It says a lot about the form he has been in. I just felt it was a good opportunity for Sam and Macca who are maybe at a slightly different place physically at this moment in time.

"I think we will see the benefits of that rest over the finish to the season."

Sign up to our new Sports Editor’s TeamTalk newsletter available this week

Barnsley handled a sticky fixture in Cumbria, one riven with hazards and the expectation all on their shoulders, admirably to come away with the victory.

The same applies on Saturday against a Cheltenham side who have revived their season under Darrell Clarke and still have a fighting chance of survival.

Given that they did not win a league game this term until October 21, it is no mean feat.

Collins continued: "Tuesday wasn’t the one you’d want because the expectations are we should just go and beat them, but it’s not just like that.

"Cheltenham are very aggressive against the ball and how they want to play. They are going to ask a lot of questions and make us defend.

"Dealing with expectations is something we’ve had to deal with all season and we have done it to varying degrees of success.

"It will be similar to Tuesday and similar to the way we have approached the majority of the season.

"Since Darrell has been in charge, they have been a totally different animal. They have picked up a lot of points and been in every game.

"It will be a very difficult and awkward game as points are becoming a premium for everyone.

"We need to approach it with the professionalism we have approached 90 per cent of the games and learn our lessons from the previous home games.”

Those lessons are mainly defensive ones and Barnsley had some questionable moments in that regard at Carlisle, as they did seven days ago when they let in five goals to Lincoln.

The Reds chief added: "It would be nice to eradicate those individual errors as the rest of it is very good. I’d say it’s decision-making as I think we make so many great decisions - when to clear it, when to play, go tight and drop off."