Barnsley v Coventry City: Hard bit is keeping run going, says Paul Heckingbottom

TALK at Christmas of Barnsley being pitted in a play-off six-pointer at the start of March would have been ridiculed as preposterous.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Mar 2016, 12:42 BST
Updated 1st Mar 2016, 12:46 BST
Barnsleys run has strengthened interim manager Paul Heckingbottom's case to get the job on a permanent basis.Barnsleys run has strengthened interim manager Paul Heckingbottom's case to get the job on a permanent basis.
Barnsleys run has strengthened interim manager Paul Heckingbottom's case to get the job on a permanent basis.

But that is the delicious reality for the Reds, who have transformed from relegation candidates to bona fide top-six candidates in the space of two magnificent months – and Paul Heckingbottom is demanding no let-up this evening.

Opportunity knocks for ninth-placed Barnsley, who will go level on points with sixth-placed Coventry City should they win tonight.

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It is a far cry from when the sides met at the Ricoh Arena on November 3 when the ravaged Reds slumped to their seventh successive league loss and were ensconced in the relegation zone – 17 points behind the hosts.

While 2016 has been remarkable so far for Barnsley, who have won nine of their 11 league fixtures, taken 28 points from a possible 33 and booked a Wembley berth in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, Heckingbottom admits the hard part is now sustaining things.

The Reds’ caretaker head coach, who has ensured that the transition following the departure of Lee Johnson has been a thoroughly seamless one, said: “We can’t relax. The skill and hard bit is keeping that run going now. It would be easy to relax and think that the job is done. That’s the difficulty. What winning teams do is they have that consistency and keep winning all season.

“We should take the belief that we can compete with everyone in this league. We know we are not going to win every game, but we can try to.”

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Barnsley follow up tonight’s game with a trip to high-flying Walsall on Saturday.

Heckingbottom, entitled to be mindful of the fact that a couple of positive results this week would make his case to be handed the full-time role an irresistible one, added: “They are good games which the players and staff are looking forward to and hopefully the fans are. They have a part to play. We want to keep driving forward with entertaining football.”

Last six games: Barnsley DWLDWD, Coventry LLLDWL.

Referee: R Joyce (Cleveland).

Last time: Barnsley 1 Coventry 0; March 3, 2015; League One.

Related topics:Coventry CityPaul HeckingbottomLee JohnsonWembley