Goalkeeper Adam Davies confident he can be penalty hero for Barnsley again if required

AFTER being afforded hero status in Barnsley's northern section final shoot-out triumph at Fleetwood Town, Adam Davies is ready to provide a Wembley encore.

The penalty route has served the Reds well in this season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy campaign, which reaches what they hope will be a successful conclusion against Oxford United on Sunday.

Davies saved spot-kicks from Conor McLaughlin and Amari’i Bell to help Barnsley progress to Wembley in February, having also made a key save to deny former Barnsley midfielder David Perkins in the northern section semi-final spot-kick win at Wigan late last year.

The juices were also flowing when he watched the club he supported as a boy, Liverpool, take part in a final shoot-out with Manchester City in the recent Capital One Cup showpiece, although, naturally, he is hoping for a different outcome if it goes to penalties on Sunday.

Davies said: “Hopefully, it doesn’t get that far and we will wrap it up in 90 minutes.

“But that (Capital One Cup) final got me a bit excited really. Wembley is a great place.

“I have definite belief that I can save penalties. In the last three or four rounds, we have had two penalty shoot-outs and I have made saves in each one, so I believe I can do it.

“I had a piece of paper (with penalty takers’ names on) at Fleetwood. But the ones we had on paper went the wrong way. I think I will go on gut instinct next time.”

Davies took a full part in the celebrations that followed Barnsley booking their place at Wembley – with his excitement such that he let slip an unfortunate expletive live on television, which led to plenty of ribbing from his team-mates.

But the 23-year-old, who joined Barnsley in the summer of 2014, admits that night on the Fylde coast was the best of his career and he would dearly like to sample a grander high this weekend.

He added: “That was probably the best moment of my career. But I have been told I need to work on my interviewing skills.

“I have been to Wembley to watch, but have never played there and I am looking forward to it. It’s been a crazy season, from being rock-bottom to now going for the play-offs and a trip to Wembley on the cards. It’s crazy, but that’s football.”