Neill Collins takes positives as Barnsley FC show promotion-winning qualities to turn off-night into three more points

It had little to do with the performance, having been let off the hook when relegation-threatened Carlisle United let them off the hook by only scoring one of four good chances inside the first 12 minutes – Luke Armstrong's first goal for the Cumbrians since leaving Harrogate Town.

But it had everything to do with the character they showed to grind out a 2-1 win with a Devante Cole equaliser and an 86th-minute penalty converted by Herbie Kane.

"I didn't expect that level of performance, I don't know the exact reasons for it other than maybe we just had too many on an off night all at once," reflected the former Leeds United and Sheffield United centre-back.

"It was quite clear there were a lot of individual errors, they were pretty basic.

"There are obviously times when tactical adjustments can help but I think tonight it was more technical mistakes or (bad) decision-making.

"We got punished for it, could have been punished more for it, but ultimately the players just dug in, got to half-time and we were able to freshen it up.

"I think from half-time onwards while there were still some of the same errors they weren't quite as bad and were able to give ourselves more of a foothold and scored a fantastic goal to get ourselves back in it, then went on and won it.

"We'll probably have to try and learn couple of lessons and move on. Not many of those players have played like that before so hopefully we all learn from it and move on quickly.

"I look at my own experience of winning promotions and league titles and it happens. That's one of the things that happen when you get promoted or finish high up, you win a couple when you're not at your best because you tend to have the nous in the group and the resilience to do it.

"We're always going to have to have a couple. You never want them, you never know when they're coming.

"Let's hope we improve our performance on Saturday because we'll need to that. We don't want too many more of them."

To come through like that on a bitterly cold night was something his side will benefit from, says Collins.

"To win like that gives you confidence because you feel you're never beaten," he said.

"Coming in at half-time 1-0 I wanted to go mad because I wasn't exactly enjoying it but I also had to think they'll probably know that wasn't good enough and the great thing is we've got an opportunity to go out and put it right. Had we done what we did in the first half in the second I wouldn't have been able to help them or rectify it so maybe it was a good thing.

"It's very easy when five or six are having a night like that to just compound it and end up in a complete disaster but they didn't. They might not have shown some of the performance characteristics but the fans should be pleased that they kept at it.

"When it's not going for you, keep going and they did that and we got there in the end.

"You can look at some of the negatives but you've got to look at some of the positives. We've come back again, from 1-0 down to win 2-1. It says a lot about the players."