Barnsley v Brighton & HA: Mellis welcomes extra competition provided by Dawson

JACOB MELLIS has welcomed the return to fitness of fellow Barnsley midfielder Stephen Dawson and has tipped it to have the same impact as a new signing.

The Reds resume their battle to stave off the drop against the play-off chasing Seagulls at Oakwell this evening after being handed a footballing lesson in a 5-0 FA Cup quarter-final thrashing at Manchester City on Saturday.

Barnsley’s pains were compounded by being dumped to the bottom of the Championship table – just prior to kick-off – so the availability of Dawson is a timely fillip, according to Mellis, who came on as a substitute after 52 minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

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Former Leyton Orient and Bury player Dawson had been sidelined since suffering a nasty ankle injury against Ipswich on January 19. Mellis said: “It is great to have Daws back. It is like a new signing.

“It provides welcome competition and we have missed his energy and tackling and he is also good on the ball. It is good news for the final 11 games of the season.”

Mellis hopes he and his team-mates can provide the 6,000 travelling army who backed the Reds so passionately, despite witnessing little to shout about on the pitch across the Pennines at the weekend, with some payback against Brighton this evening.

And he is urging the home faithful to pump up the volume again and serve as a 12th man in Barnsley’s mission to beat off the relegation blues and ensure Oakwell stages its eighth successive season of Championship football come August.

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A wretched bout of homesickness, which saw the Reds fail to win in 11 matches from the start of September, proved a major factor in the board’s decision to part company with former chief Keith Hill immediately after Christmas.

His successor Flitcroft’s vital statistics at Oakwell have been markedly different, with the 3-2 reverse to Bolton on March 2 ending a four-match winning streak under the Lancastrian.

Mellis said: “We have to get back on it against Brighton. The fans were really behind us at Manchester City and have been at home and, hopefully, we can pick up some points and reward their support.

“If you were one of Man City’s fans, Saturday would have been great to watch, but not ours.

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“It was just unlucky for us that they were on top of their game. When they are, they can beat most teams in the world.”

Chris O’Grady, ineligible at the weekend, is back in the fray for Flitcroft, who is hoping to bring in a centre-back ahead of the emergency loan deadline on March 28, with Jim McNulty and Rob Edwards injured.

Flitcroft is also in the market for a left-back on loan to cover for Scott Golbourne, out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Last six games: Barnsley LDLLWW, Brighton LDWWWD.

Last time: Barnsley 0 Brighton 0; April 28, 2012; Championship.

Referee: M Heywood (Cheshire).