BARNSLEY visit one of the form teams in League One when they take on third-placed Bolton Wanderers from 3pm.
Steven Schumacher’s Trotters are six points off the top two, ten points clear in the play-off places and 15 ahead of the Reds.
After a run of two points and two goals in four games, they have won four of their last five with one draw.
They won 1-0 at lowly AFC Wimbledon on Saturday then had no midweek game unlike the Reds.
They have the joint best defensive record with Stevenage.
Barnsley have not won in their last six away league games, and only once in 11 since starting the campaign with victories at Plymouth and Peterborough in August.
Head coach Conor Hourihane told the Chronicle: “We want to go there and really attack the game as always.
“The way we’ve played over the last two games, particularly at home, has been really exciting.
“We’ve scored five goals, created loads of chances and we want to go and try and attack the game and get a result.”
Defender Eoghan O’Connell added: “I’ve played at this level for a long time now and that’s one of the toughest games you can get.
“We’ll have to be right up for it and ready to try and put on a good performance and try and get something from the game.
“They’re a really good side.
“They have a good record at home, especially this season, but we don’t fear anyone.
“We’re going to go there and try and implement our style on the game and see what we can do.”
Bolton had been unbeaten in 14 home games in all competitions including eight straight wins. But they lost 1-0 to Mansfield on December 29 – their only home league defeat this season – then drew 0-0 with Northampton before beating Leyton Orient and Burton 2-1 with injury-time winners.
The clubs have met 54 times, with Barnsley winning 17 and losing 19.
Twelve of those meetings have been in the last three and a half years as they faced each other twice in play-off semi-finals. The Reds are unbeaten in the last four meetings, doing the double over Bolton last season having not beaten them in the league in 17 attempts since they were in the Premiership in 1997.
They won 2-1 at Bolton on Boxing Day under Darrell Clarke with late goals by the now-sold Davis Keillor-Dunn and Adam Phillips then 4-1 at home in April – Hourihane’s first victory as a manager – thanks to doubles by Jon Russell and Fabio Jalo who are both now out on loan. Barnsley have not lost in six trips to Bolton, drawing three and winning three.
They drew 1-1 at Oakwell in August with David McGoldrick opening the scoring then, after Vimal Yoganathan was sent off, ex-Red John McAtee levelled late on.
Reds captain Luca Connell began his career with Bolton while Wanderers have former Barnsley loanees McAtee and Ethan Erhahon.
