The seven remaining League One matches are more important than Sunday's cup final, says Barnsley head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

The Reds boss believes his team's reaction to the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final will be vital for their attempts to get into the top six in the league – no matter what the result at Wembley.

"We will park the final on Monday morning and move on to Chesterfield," said Heckingbottom.

"The next seven games are even bigger than the JPT final and the prize at the end of them, promotion, is even greater for financial reasons and for the status of the club."

Barnsley, who have picked up 41 points from the last possible 51 with 13 wins from 17, are currently seventh, four points clear of those below them. They are two behind Bradford, who occupy the final play-off space and could increase the gap to five with victory tomorrow at home to Scunthorpe, one of several sides with an outside chance of the top six.

Heckingbottom said: "If we continue with the same form we have been on, which is more than two points a game, we will get in the play-offs. If we get there it will be a fantastic achievement considering we were bottom in December and how hard we've worked.

"But if the players missed out it wouldn't be through a lack of effort. They have given absolutely everything, we just handicapped ourselves with a slow start.  We have set ourselves the challenge of putting pressure on Millwall and Gillingham so we are not settling for sixth but trying to claw the teams back who are above us."