CONOR Hourihane says the League One table is of ‘no interest to me right now’ despite Barnsley having the chance to cut down the gap to sixth-placed Huddersfield Town in tomorrow’s all-Yorkshire clash.
The Reds are 13th in League One, eight points clear of the relegation zone and also eight off sixth-placed Huddersfield who are in the lowest play-off place and have played four more games than the Oakwell club.
An away win could potentially cut the gap to sixth to five points but Barnsley have not won in seven away league games and, although they are the fourth highest-scorers in the division, only third-bottom Leyton Orient have conceded more than their 50 let in.
This week, the Reds drew 3-3 at home to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday then won 2-1 at home to Peterborough United on Tuesday. They have 17 league games left in 67 days this season but there is a free week between Saturday’s derby and the trip to Orient a week later.
Hourihane said the next ten games would decide if they were still fighting to move away from the bottom four, in contention for promotion or in mid-table and focusing on developing players.
He told the Chronicle: “It’s about us getting better constantly.
“The league table is of no interest to me right now.
“People can talk about it and discuss where we are – mid-table or whatever. Right now it’s an internal thing to get better individually and collectively.
“We’ve won a game and we all need to see if we can back it up now over the next couple of weeks.
“We’ve got Huddersfield on Saturday, which is going to be a Yorkshire derby and a really exciting game.
“And then we’ve got a free week as well to work on things which is unusual and we need to make the most of it.
“Let’s just see what the next couple of weeks bring. We’ve got a big cluster of games coming up after that.”
Barnsley have not won on the road in the league since another derby at Doncaster in November which is their only away victory in 13 league games.
Hourihane told the Chronicle: “It would be lovely to get the away win at Huddersfield.
“But I am sure it will come, with the work and improvement we are doing.
“We have got two away games now in a row, Huddersfield and Leyton Orient, two different types of games – one is in the top six and Orient are at the other side of the table.”
Huddersfield sacked head coach Lee Grant last month following a run of one point from four games and brought in former Norwich, Bristol City and Oxford boss Liam Manning.
He won his first three league games but, after a home draw with Blackpool, they lost 1-0 at Stevenage on Saturday then by the same scoreline at Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday.
Despite that, only the top two have scored more goals than their 53.
Huddersfield are unbeaten in nine league games at home, winning five, since mid-October.
Hourihane said: “They look to get their good players on the ball and they are three at the back. They have a threat, they are quite solid but they have no issues going more direct.
“It’s still early in Liam’s tenure.”
He added: “The last couple of times we’ve gone to a top six club, we haven’t performed. That’s the biggest thing I want to see. We struggled at Cardiff then Bolton in the first half then we were better in the second half when there was nothing to lose.”
Barnsley won 3-1 at home to Huddersfield in August, with Owen Goodman sent off after 36 minutes for clattering David McGoldrick, having made a mistake for the opening goal which was one of Davis Keillor-Dunn’s brace. Luca Connell also netted before the visitors pulled one back late on.
Goodman has since been sent back to parent club Crystal Palace and loaned out to Barnsley where he is now the regular number one.
Hourihane said: “He just needs to treat Saturday like any other game but he’s in a good place.
“He made some really good stops on Tuesday at key times.
“Their striker got in and he made a one-on-one save, he’s got that big moment in him because he has a big frame, then they got in behind for a tap-in but he came out and spread himself really well.”
The Reds have also brought in another former Huddersfield loanee Tawanda Chirewa.
He is still out with an ankle injury after a small setback but could return to training next week.
Barnsley had lost five successive meetings before that August game.
The two clubs have met 83 times, with Barnsley winning 30 and losing 37.
The Reds have lost their last four games at Huddersfield, including two 2-0 defeats last season in the league and EFL Trophy.
The last time they have won at Huddersfield in the league – other than behind-closed-doors in 2021 thanks to a Daryl Dike overhead kick – was a 2-0 success in 2004 with Barry Conlon on target as well as an own goal.
If they play, this will be centre-back Jack Shepherd and midfielder Jono Bland’s 50th game for Barnsley.
Barnsley’s game at Stevenage has been rearranged for April 21.
