CONOR HOURIHANE is anxious for Barnsley's season not to peter out as they head into the final away match of a disappointing League One campaign.

The trip to already-relegated Northampton Town is Hourihane's penultimate match as head coach, and he wants to end on a high.

Barnsley claimed a dramatic draw with Bradford City on the day his departure at the end of season was announced, but they have since lost at Stevenage and Luton Town.

Victory on Tuesday would take them to within a point of the top half, and above Doncaster Rovers as the highest-placed South Yorkshire team in this season's third tier.

DEPARTING: Coach Conor Hourihane will leave Barnsley at the end of the season (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

placeholder image — DEPARTING: Coach Conor Hourihane will leave Barnsley at the end of the season (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

"I've been really disappointed with the results in the last two games," admitted Hourihane, whose side finish at home to Stockport County on Saturday.

"We had the real high of Bradford and the news on myself so we don't want the last two games to fade away either.

"We'll have a look at it, we'll assess and we'll look forward to Northampton and Stockport.

"Me and the staff undoubtedly want to go out with some positive performances and results so that will be the case going into the last two.

TARGETS: Jonathan Bland (Image: Tony Johnson)

“We're hoping it’s a good opportunity for us. If we're more ruthless in the final third than we were at Luton then we're hoping that we might come with a positive result."

Hourihane's role at Oakwell has been very focussed on developing young players, but he has lamented the lack of time he has had to do that.

"We just need that little bit of quality, little bit of extra training," he said. "I'd love to be on the grass training these guys, Reyes (Cleary) and Pat (Kelly) to develop them even more but our busy schedule makes that so challenging.

"It's always classroom stuff and there's nothing like being on the grass and developing."

One of those developing players, midfielder Jonathan Bland, says there are plenty of reasons for him and his team-mates to strive to end the season strongly.

"You don't go into any game wanting to draw or lose," he said. "Me personally I'm desperate to win games of football.

"People are playing for a lot of different things, whether it's stats or whatever it might be.

"There's two games ahead and we've got to try and win both of them."