Barnsley: Alex Mowatt relishing life under Daniel Stendel

Barnsley midfielder Alex Mowatt is thriving under new boss Daniel Stendel

The midfielder's Oakwell career looked in jeopardy after he spent most of last season on loan at Oxford, but he has been given a second chance by Stendel.

And he has grasped it with both hands, becoming a key player for the Reds in the opening part of the campaign.

Mowatt has started every League One game and been on the pitch for all-but 12 minutes, helping his side to an unbeaten start.

The former Leeds player is relishing his new beginning and has now turned his attention to a promotion challenge.

'In the summer people were asking me what I was going to do, things like that,' he said.Â

'I just want to play for Barnsley this season, so it's a fresh start with a new manager and I was just trying to get myself in the team.

'That's where everyone would rather be, in the Championship rather than League One, so we want to push for promotion this season and hopefully we can get that.'

The Reds are one of five teams yet to taste defeat in the division so far and Mowatt is dreaming big by targeting an invincible campaign.

He added: 'We want to keep it going as long as possible, all season if that is possible.

'We wanted to win on Saturday and we want to turn the draws into wins. No one wants to get beat, no one likes the feeling of getting beat. It felt like we had lost on Saturday when they (Walsall) scored in the 88th minute.

'We had that feeling then, but everyone wants to continue that unbeaten run.'

That will be put to the test on Saturday as the Reds visit Coventry, where they have not won since 1923.

There is no reason to suggest that will have any bearing on the game and assistant head coach Andreas Winkler believes their unbeaten start fills his side with confidence.

'You can feel it after every match,' he said. 'They were unlucky to draw on Saturday, but we are still unbeaten. This record makes us more confident.'

The Reds will monitor midfielder Brad Potts for the Ricoh Arena clash as he recovers from a groin injury while striker Cauley Woodrow should be fit to make his debut next week.