Barnsley v Wolverhampton W: Threat of return to obscurity driving Reds on

Since taking over from axed Keith Hill, the Reds have won seven out of nine games to move a point off fourth-from-bottom Wolves in the battle to avoid relegation from the Championship.

The pair meet tonight at Oakwell in a heavyweight battle with the losers left in the bottom three with games quickly running out.

Barnsley’s recent run includes Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup success at MK Dons, which has earned them a quarter-final tie at Premier League champions Manchester City.

Chris Dagnall was the star of the show at Stadiummk, scoring twice to take his season’s tally to eight, and Flitcroft believes the fear of relegation has helped kick-start Barnsley’s season.

Dagnall, 26, is like many at Oakwell who have served their apprenticeships in the lower leagues. He has spent his career knocking in goals for Tranmere Rovers, Rochdale and Scunthorpe.

He scored twice on the opening day of the season at Rochdale in a League Cup win, but then the goals dried up and he failed to score in five months until Flitcroft took charge.

He netted twice against Leeds United on January 12, and banged in six goals in seven games to coincide with Barnsley’s revival. Having tasted life in the Championship, he is loathe to give it up without a fight.

“I have spent a lot of time with Chris and I am telling these players they have played in Leagues One and Two for long times in their careers,” said Flitcroft.

“The players don’t want to go back there and I keep telling them the only way they will go back there is if they don’t work to their maximum potential.

“Dagnall’s potential at this level is frightening. He has always been a workaholic, now he has added goals to that and he is a special player.

“He is the forefront of what this group of players want to do, he starts the defending off and he’s finishing off with goals now, too.

“Chris needs just a touch more composure, but we have Jason Scotland in now and I think he’s learning from Jason. He has a calmness and composure, and having players like that around you can sometimes rub off.”

Flitcroft is relishing his chance in management after stepping up from the No 2 role under Hill and admits he is lucky to have the chance to be a No 1 at a Championship club so early.

On his tenure so far, the 39-year-old said: “It’s been difficult at times. I miss Keith Hill and working with him every day. But I do know this has been an incredible opportunity that I have had to grasp.

“If I had wanted to go on my own at any point, I would have had to start in League Two – possibly non-league – so it’s an opportunity that I didn’t want to waste. I don’t like wasting time.

“That’s what I have been able to do at Barnsley, grasp the opportunity and keep things bubbling over.

“Once you have got something you don’t want to let it go and I don’t want to let this job go. There’s something there, I am proud leading this team out and being manager of Barnsley Football Club.

“I will keep that drive and determination until I am told otherwise.”

Barnsley’s progression in the FA Cup means their trip to Cardiff City on March 9 will have to be re-arranged.

It means a backlog when it comes to league fixtures and Flitcroft is hoping he can balance the two.

“It’s another fixture we are going to have to cram in,” said Flitcroft. “It’s just something we are going to have to plan, but momentum is key. I know over the last five or 10 years, when teams have done well in the cups, their league form has dipped.

“It’s something I have got to be wary of and really guard against. I have a group of players that really want to play in these games, there’s no doubt about that.

“The cup games are nice, the league campaign has been quite relentless. It’s nice to have a cup game to balance things out.”

Regarding the trip to the Etihad Stadium, Flitcroft, whose brother Gary is a former Manchester City player, said: “There are a lot of emotions going through my head. The players, the staff, the football club and the supporters deserve to get a tie of this magnitude.

“We are going to the champions of this country and I will be proud to take my players to that stadium.

“The lads have deserved this and we will make sure they go there and enjoy the day but we want to give a good account of ourselves and try and cause an upset.

“This is a cup of dreams, a cup of heroes and I do dream. As a coach, to be able to pit your wits against one of the world’s best excites me.”

Last six: Barnsley DWWWWW Wolves DDLLDD.

Referee: D Sheldrake (Surrey).

Last time: Barnsley 1 Wolves 1, Championship, April 25, 2009.