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The only way is up for Reds
BARNSLEY boss Mark Robins has challenged his improving side to build on a memorable midweek win by beating Watford at home tomorrow.
The Reds crushed Preston North End 4-1 at Deepdale on Tuesday night, a performance which was capped by a debut goal for new Burnley loan signing Jay Rodriguez.
After two "chalk and cheese" performances, Robins is hoping for another one of the latter as the Reds look to build on their highest League position of the season, 11th.
And Robins is only too aware that his first game in charge of the club ended in disappointment at the hands of the Hornets as they were beaten 1-0 at Vicarage Road.
"This for me goes back to my first game in charge, we didn't do ourselves justice in that match," Robins told The Star. "It was a great team performance on Tuesday night and I believe we could have beaten anybody in the League with the way we played.
"We've got a hell of a lot to live up to because we've raised the bar again.
"If the players believe in themselves like I do, then they'll keep doing it (performing well) again."
Watford beat Sheffield United 3-0 in midweek and on the back of that victory Robins knows the Londoners will come to South Yorkshire full of confidence.
"It was a great result for them, but I hope we make it hard work for them on Saturday.
"We need to get in their faces and make it very difficult.
"They've got Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury who are both very good players, but we've got to give them respect as a team."
Manchester United ace Cleverley scored against the Blades and the Arsenal loanee also impressed for the Hornets.
"They've also got Martin Taylor at the back who they signed from Birmingham, so they'll be a strong side and it will be another good test for us.
"We've got ourselves in a good position, it's the highest we've been in since I've been here. We can take a lot of confidence from that. The players deserve a lot of credit. If we can get a result it will put us four points above Watford in the table. We've got to keep piling the points on the board."
Versatile defender/midfielder Bobby Hassell has been ruled out of contention for tomorrow despite hopes he would have recovered from a groin injury.
Hassell, last season's Player-of-the-Year, is suffering from soreness having trained yesterday with the rest of the squad.Fellow defender Rob Kozluk is also absent having not yet recovered from a jarred knee.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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