BARNSLEY will be looking for a third straight win in games at Devon club Exeter City from 3pm on Saturday.
The Grecians are third-bottom, eight points behind the Reds and two adrift in the relegation zone.
They have lost 11 of their 19 games including a 2-1 defeat at high-flying Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
They have scored the third fewest goals with 18 but have conceded just 20, the fourth best defensive record.
Exeter are in financial difficulties after reportedly overspending their budget last season, having to make job cuts and secure £600,000 in loans from the supporters’ trust to stay afloat as well as relying on instalments due from previous sales of players such as Jay Stansfield. Manager Gary Caldwell’s budget is thought to have been cut for this season.
They are unbeaten in six at home in all competitions, winning four.
Those victories include a Devon derby win over Conor Hourihane’s former club Plymouth as well as, in their last two home games, a 4-0 success in the FA Cup against Wycombe and a 1-0 league win over Wimbledon.
Reds head coach Hourihane told the Chronicle: “We’re fully aware they are decent at home and their form has been OK. Their league position doesn’t reflect that.
“We have a task on our hands which will be difficult and we need to be fully prepared for what they will throw at us.
“We will have a gameplan but we need to be bang at it.”
He added: “It’s a really tough game.
“They are a team that don’t get beaten by three or four.
“They have a lot of very tight games.
“They will be ready and so will we.
“We want to move onto the next level after Orient (a 3-2 home win this week) and put on a good performance.”
Hourihane was at Plymouth when they were in financial difficulties so sympathises with their Devon neighbours.
“It’s not easy.
“It can rally you, though.
“It can bring you together and make you fight.
“I’m delighted they got a really good draw in the FA Cup (away at Manchester City), similar to ourselves. They got a big one away.
“It can be challenging but they are a team who can cause you issues.”
Exeter have former Reds forward Jack Aitchison. He scored his first league goal of the season on Saturday.
The clubs have met 26 times, with Barnsley losing half of them and winning nine.
The most recent meeting was in April at Oakwell when a late mistake by Mael de Gevigney gifted the Devon club a 2-1 win – their third victory in a row at Oakwell.
The Reds have won their last two games at St James Park.
John McAtee netted a late winner in 2023 then, almost exactly a year ago, Barnsley came from behind to win 2-1 thanks to goals by Kelechi Nwakali and Davis Keillor-Dunn.
