Reds looking to end City's unbeaten run

BARNSLEY manager Simon Davey is challenging his team to smash Bristol City's unbeaten record at Oakwell tonight.

Surprise package City have found the Championship relatively easy going since their promotion last term.

They are undefeated in eight and Saturday's 0-0 draw with Preston brought their third straight cleansheet away from home. And had sub Scott Murray's shot gone in and not hit the crossbar, City would have been second in the table.

Eighth placed Barnsley's form has also got them noticed.

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Said Davey: "At the end of the day, we're in the top half of the table. Teams do not want to come to us at the moment. We're undefeated in four. We've won two and drawn two. Bristol had a draw at Preston at the weekend and they're flying high so. It should be another good game.

"We won't make it easy for any team that comes here."

Barnsley are ready for the rigours of the Championship and better equipped to thrive, Davey reckons.

"The players believe they can go on and score goals. They went behind against Cardiff and perhaps last season we might have caved in but we came back and that's a big pleasing point for the whole club."

Saturday's 1-1 draw with Cardiff brought a confidence boost and Davey had special praise for Lewin Nyatanga and Dennis Souza, the players at the heart of his defence.

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"Our two centre-backs have played well all season and they know they going to come up against Premiership quality strikers in this division," he said.

"They handled the likes of Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sidibe, Ricardo Fuller and Robbie Fower and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. I'm happy with my squad and I wouldn't swap any of them."