Robins challenges Tykes to bounce back after Cup exit

Coventy City v Barnsley

Ian Appleyard

BARNSLEY manager Mark Robins wants his side to forget about last weekend’s FA Cup exit and extend their unbeaten run in the Championship.

The Tykes’s trip to Coventry City has survived the big freeze and will offer an opportunity to move up the table while other clubs are sidelined.

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Unbeaten in eight league games, Barnsley are seven points adrift of the play-off zone with two games in hand on the majority of their rivals. Referring to last weekend’s shock defeat at Scunthorpe United, Robins said: “We let a lot of our supporters down and we want to put that right at Coventry.

“I want a decent performance and three points to kick off what is a now a 24-game season. We cannot afford to dwell on a missed opportunity and one poor performance.”

Arctic weather conditions may have been a problem for all clubs up and down the country but Barnsley have the benefit of an indoor training pitch which has enabled the players to keep working on game play and not purely their fitness. Robins also has the luxury of a full-strength squad at his disposal and is delighted by the competition for places.

"People have to be on their toes at the moment because there are a lot of other players at the club tugging at the shirt to take it from them, “ he said. “However the squad we have is good enough to kick on and raise their game further.”

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Stressing that he will not make signings ‘just for the sake of it’ during the January transfer window, it is more likely that Robins will allow some players to leave Oakwell over the next few weeks.

Winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce, a 1m target for Reading last season, has struggled to hold down a regular place along with winger Martin Devaney who recently returned from a loan spell at Milton Keynes Dons.

Defender Luke Potter is fit again after a knee injury and will be allowed to go out on loan to regain match fitness while striker Onome Sodje is also available on loan after rejecting an opportunity to extend his loan stay with Chris Wilder’s Oxford United.

“Even though the transfer window closes on February 1, we still have a couple of months where the emergency loan period is available so there is no need to make hasty decisions,” said Robins. “Money in football in general is in short supply and there will probably be more loan deals done than actual transfers around the leagues in the coming weeks.”

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Around 400 Barnsley supporters will make the 200-mile round trip to the Midlands with coaches scheduled to leave Oakwell at lunchtime.

The team’s coach is planning to leave Oakwell around 11.15am, allowing over three hours to get to the stadium.

According to Robins, the biggest problem on the roads could be just yards from the stadium with Grove Street, which runs adjacent to the stadium and leads to the main routes, still covered in ice.

Team news: Barnsley manager Mark Robins reports no fresh injury concerns but is considering a recall for striker Jon Macken as his side looks to bounce back from last week's FA Cup defeat at Scunthorpe. Winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce could make his 100th appearance for the club.

Last six games: Coventry LWWWLD, Barnsley WDDDWL

Last time: Coventry 1 Barnsley 1; April 21, 2009, Championship.

Referee: L Mason (Lancashire)

SkyBet odds: Coventry to win 6/5, Barnsley to win 9/4, Draw 12/5.