Barnsley focusing on five huge games...and promotion

Barnsley's Victor Adeboyejo beats Manchester City's keeper Thomas Scott. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

Daniel Stendel has told Barnsley to forget about the defeat at Burton and fully focus on the final five matches of the League One promotion run-in, according to Victor Adeboyejo.

The Reds suffered an unfamiliar feeling on Saturday, losing for the first time in 20 league matches following the 3-1 defeat at Burton.

The defeat was a major blow in the Tykes' quest for an immediate return to the Championship.

Barnsley still sit second in the table, level on points with Sunderland, but the Black Cats have two games in hand.

The Reds continue their quest for automatic promotion against Fleetwood at Oakwell on Saturday. Asked what the message was from head coach Stendel, striker Adeboyejo said: “Push it aside, take the positives out of the game and move on to the next one, keep working hard and the results will keep going for us.

“That was always the goal from the start of the season and we are going to keep pushing to the end. Bring on the five games.

“We will definitely get there if we keep up the work-rate and the mindset that we have as a team.”

Adeboyejo has struggled for first-team opportunities this season following the form of first-choice pair Kieffer Moore and Cauley Woodrow.

Moore scored 18 goals before suffering a season-ending injury while Woodrow’s penalty at Burton took his tally to 16 for the campaign.

Adeboyejo netted twice in the opening two games of the season but after regularly having to settle for a place on the bench, is still hoping for a chance with Moore sidelined.

“It’s been a mixed season. It started very well but it’s died down,” he said. “I have just got to keep going until the end of the season, like the rest of the boys.

“Cauley Woodrow is scoring goals and the players that are playing are doing well.

“It is difficult, but I need to keep developing, keep sharpening my skills and abilities and hopefully the chance will come and I will be able to take it.

“Everyone has got it in them to score goals. The goals have been spread across the team, so we have got to keep working hard and keep creating those chances.”