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

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.”