JOSH Earl said Barnsley need to bounce back quickly after a disappointing defeat at home to Lincoln City on Monday night.

Adam Reach's thunderous volley from outside the area in the second half added to Tom Hamer's early opener and ensured the Reds fell to a third straight defeat.

The full-back said that the second game 'completely killed the game off'.

He told the Chronicle: "I think they did exactly what they wanted to do really.

"Conceding the goal early doors was exactly how they wanted the game to go so they could sit in and make it difficult for us, which they did.

"I thought they blocked a lot of shots.

"Phillo had quite a few shots that they flew out and blocked and they defended their box really well.

"The second goal completely killed the game off and there's not much you can do about that unfortunately."

It's now three consecutive defeats for Barnsley following the 3-2 loss at home to Mansfield on Boxing Day and the 3-0 drubbing away from home against lowly Exeter on December 20.

Earl said: "We've lost three on the bounce now but that happens in football.

"I've lost three on the bounce many times at different clubs and we will bounce back.

"I think we've been quite unfortunate at times.

"It's not an excuse at all but we'll go again on New Year's Day and we'll give our best shot to try and get out of this little rut we're in."

The Reds do have games in hand on the teams around them but Earl says he'd rather have the points on the board.

He said: "We'd swap a game for three points every single day.

"But we have got games in hand and that's the positive at the end of the day in the position that we're in.

"They don't guarantee us nine points or six points but it gives us a chance to get them.

"When they come about and we do have those games, hopefully we can capitalise on them.

"But we just focus on the next game now and try to go and get three points in that."