AT this stage of proceedings, a strong three-game week has the potential to not only put a wholly different slant on league tables, but keep a season alive.

Two games into a seven-day spell which Barnsley chief Darrell Clarke admitted would be critical in terms of keeping their play-off hopes intact or otherwise, his Reds side have taken maximum points following back-to-back away wins at Rotherham United and Northampton Town.

Their latest success at Sixfields, courtesy of a Davis Keillor-Dunn double, was sweetened by the fact that two of the sides Barnsley are chasing in the top six in Huddersfield Town and Leyton Orient both slipped up.

As far as Clarke is concerned, he is only controlling what he can. But should Barnsley finish an uplifting week with victory against Lincoln City on Saturday, then they really are back in the game.

Barnsley head coach Darrell Clarke, pictured during the recent League One derby with Huddersfield Town. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Clarke, whose side are four points adrift of sixth-placed Orient, said: “It’s two good away wins, but we have got to improve our performances.

"But the boys have dug in this week. We were looking for a big week and that's two steps of that week sorted with six points and now we have got a massive game at home to Lincoln on Saturday and I am sure our fans will be back behind us in numbers.

"We’ve just got to keep chipping away. We lost our form a little bit after the Christmas period, but back-to-back wins puts us in the mix.”

Barnsley showed their ugly side again at Northampton to chisel out victory after Keillor-Dunn's brace.

Davis Keillor-Dunn, who took his Barnsley goals tally to 13 for the 2024-25 campaign with a key double in the Reds' League One win at Northampton Town. Picture: Tony Johnson.

A nervy last quarter saw a mistake from Corey O’Keeffe enable Sam Hoskins' to pull one back and the visitors had to play with ten men for more than 10 minutes of time after Mael de Gevigney's late red card for a foul on Tariq Fosu.

Afterwards, Clarke lavished praise in the direction of defensive lieutenant Marc Roberts for a second game running.

He added: "I thought Marc was outstanding. In the last two games, Robbo has been absolutely outstanding and he headed everything in between the sides. The bloke is a lion and we needed him and he came up trumps.

"We looked in control of the game without getting loads going. We never looked in danger of conceding, but then gave a really silly goal away and then it’s backs to the wall and Mael gets sent off.

"It took a few years off my life, for sure..”

Two out of three ain't bad for Barnsley FC - but Darrell Clarke demands more improvement if Reds are to revive their League One season in key week