Barnsley will take points on the board over games in hand, insists Tonge

BARNSLEY assistant head coach Dale Tonge insists that Barnsley would take their current second-placed position in League One over promotion rivals Sunderland and Portsmouth - despite the fact that the pair have games in hand on them.

Sunderland's 3-0 victory at Accrington Stanley has seen the Reds' lead over the Wearsiders cut to three points - with Jack Ross's side having two games in hand.

Fourth-placed Portsmouth are five points behind Barnsley, having played a game fewer.

Tonge said: "You would always take the points and they have still to get those points and have tough games to come.

"They did their job last night, which is what we are expecting them to do. It is even more important for us to do our job.

"It is up to us to get maximum points as much as we can over the next six games."

Tonge confirmed that Barnsley have a fully-fit squad for Saturday's tricky trip to Burton - minus Kenny Dougall and Kieffer Moore.

And the Reds number two believes that the striking duo of Cauley Woodrow and Mamadou Thiam - paired together in last weekend's 2-2 draw with Coventry - provided plenty of encouragement going forward.

He said: "It worked quite well, to say it is a very new partnership. It was something that was worked on in the week and as a pair, I think they compliment each other quite well as they have similar ideas in how they play."