Conor Hourihane is pleased Barnsley have progressed to the knock-out rounds of the EFL Trophy but said the 2-0 home loss to Lincoln City on Tuesday was a ‘big learning curve.’

The Reds made a bright start but conceded in both halves.

Hourihane told the Chronicle: “The last couple of home games have been a big learning curve against teams who want to sit behind the ball. In the first half an hour we were really really bright and good on the ball, the first 45 minutes against Rotherham was the same.

"But if you don’t capitalise it becomes more challenging because they will come back into the game and have moments. Particularly if you give the first goal away it becomes even more challenging.

“They got their goal and sat behind the ball. We were low on bodies and mixing and matching with players, having to manage minutes. If we score in the first 30 minutes, it’s a different game but it’s disappointing how the game finished. They were poor and disappointing goals.”

Barnsley finished second in their group and will play away in the last 32 next month.

Hourihane said: “I’m pleased to get through. We want to win games. With the Notts County game away we should have won and had it sewn up by tonight, but the red card changed the game. It sort of was sewn up anyway. We’re through which is good. That’s what I wanted.”

Captain Luca Connell came off late on due to illness. Hourihane said: “He said during the second half he wasn’t feeling great so taking him off was important. There wasn’t loads of numbers to come in but it was nice to see Kieran Graham and Luke Alker get on the pitch.”

Midfielder Vimal Yoganathan added: “We started off well but then couldn’t really create. Obviously conceding the goal kind of kills the game because it lets them sit back and it’s tough to break them down. We have to be better. The positive is we’re through.

“Conceding goals is something that is obviously a problem and we all know that but the gaffer works on it, we as players are working on it. We’re just going to try to get better at being connected as a team and concede fewer goals. We want to be expressive, we don’t want to put 11 men behind the ball and sit and wait for opportunities. We want to be on the front foot which is a weakness sometimes. It’s trying to find that balance and hopefully we can.”