Barnsley need to find formula to unlock goals

The Reds suffered a severe slump in form by losing five games in a row.

Paul Heckingbottom’s charges are still looking for that elusive win, after their winless streak stretched to nine after drawing with Preston North End.

However, two clean sheets in their last three games has given management some hope.

Clapham said: “We’d have liked to have taken all three points, but the performance levels has gained for some of them in the past three games. You can see that’s coming back so we’re pleased with that and we’ll just keep going.

“I thought it was an entertaining game for the fans, it was two high energy teams going at each other.

“Obviously results govern certain things, but we always look at the performances. We’ll always look at where we’ve come from, where we’re going and where we’re trying to get to.”

Although the Reds have kept two clean sheets, the lack of goals is worrying.

Heckingbottom has been vocal about his desire to bring in a striker in January who poses a different threat to what the club already have at their disposal.

The last time the Reds scored two goals was at the beginning of November against Birmingham City - their last win before this winless run.

They put four past Burton Albion in the game before, but the last time they struck twice against a team above them in the table was 14 games ago when they held Middlesbrough to a draw.

A proven striker will be tough to find with the Reds’ budget, so it will likely be a loan deal from a Premier League club or abroad.