Returning to action for the first time since New Year's Day, Barnsley will set out to strengthen their position in the top six of the League One table on Saturday, when they welcome Bristol Rovers to Oakwell.

The hosts currently occupy the final playoff place but only lead seventh-placed Stevenage on goal difference, while their visitors will hope to truly put themselves into the top-six picture and reduce the nine-point gap between the two sides.

Match preview

Having not been involved in any cup competitions since the turn of the year, Barnsley will return to action for the first time since New Year's Day on Saturday with the aim of continuing an impressive run of form in their League One promotion bid this season.

In their first campaign under the management of Neill Collins, after falling at the final hurdle in the playoff final last time around, the South Yorkshire outfit experienced a relatively underwhelming start to the 2023-24 term, collecting 27 points from their first 16 outings, but they have since built a more impressive run and find themselves in the midst of an eight-match unbeaten streak in England's third tier stretching back to late November.

In that time, the Reds have managed four victories and added 16 points to their tally, with the most recent triumphs coming over Stevenage and Port Vale either side of Christmas, with John McAtee and Herbie Kane sealing a 2-1 win over the former and McAtee netting a brace alongside an Adam Phillips goal in a 3-2 victory away at the latter on Boxing Day.

A trip to fellow promotion-chasers Peterborough United then followed, and Collins's men came away with a creditable point following a 2-2-2 draw, despite going 2-0 up through Kane and Devante Cole, before they most recently welcomed Wigan Athletic to Oakwell after the turn of the year and settled for another share of the spoils having again been pegged back as Jonny Smith levelled the scores at a goal apiece three minutes from time after Cole looked to have fired his side to a three-point haul.

While they may be slightly disappointed having surrendered leads in each of their last two outings, Barnsley can certainly still be pleased with their improved run and climb into the top six, and now ahead of Stevenage on goal difference and three points behind Oxford United with a game in hand on most sides around them, Barnsley will now aim to extend their unbeaten run and make a return to winning ways on home turf to strengthen their position.

Their visitors, meanwhile, travel to South Yorkshire with their sights set on the playoff picture, having enjoyed a positive start to life under the management of Matt Taylor.

The new boss arrived at the beginning of December with Bristol Rovers sat 11th in League One on 24 points from 18 games, and they have added 10 points to that tally in six attempts since, with his tenure kicking off with a victory, a draw and a defeat before Christmas.

The Gas would then kick on with back-to-back triumphs on home turf, beginning with an impressive 2-1 beating of league leaders Portsmouth thanks to Antony Evans's opener and Luke Thomas's 94th-minute winner, before Chris Martin fired them to a victory by the same scoreline against Charlton Athletic with the decisive goal also coming four minutes into injury time.

They were unable to make it three on the bounce in a New Year's Day trip to Wycombe Wanderers, though, eventually succumbing to a 3-2 defeat despite Martin again netting twice in the dying embers, but Taylor's men now head into the weekend with a degree of renewed confidence, having travelled to second-tier Norwich City in the FA Cup third round last weekend and forced a replay with a commendable 1-1 draw, as Grant Ward drew them level in the 17th minute after Ashley Barnes's opener.

Now turning their focus back to their league pursuits before that replay, Bristol Rovers find themselves 10th in England's third tier with a game in hand on all sides around them other than Saturday's opponents, and they will aim to reduce the nine-point gap to the top six with a return to winning ways on their travels.

Team News

Barnsley may opt to deploy an unchanged starting XI from their draw with Wigan Athletic on New Year's Day in their attacking 3-5-2 shape, although Callum Styles will push to return from the start in either a wing-back or advanced midfield role after being reduced to a substitute appearance last time out.

Despite competition from Max Watters and Sam Cosgrove, the front line of Devante Cole and John McAtee is bound to remain untouched, with the former boasting 13 League One goals this season and the latter having netted three goals and contributed an assist in his last four appearances to take his tally to six for the season in England's third tier.

Elsewhere, Luca Connell remains a key man at the base of the midfield, while Jordan Williams, Mael de Gevigney and Jamie McCart should line up in an unaltered back three.

Matt Taylor will deploy a similar Bristol Rovers starting XI to the one that was fielded in their 1-1 draw away at Norwich City last time out in a 3-4-1-2 shape, with Tristan Crama, Josh Grant and Connor Taylor bound to line up in an unchanged back three.

Ahead of them, following Ryan Woods's return to parent club Hull City, Sam Finley and Grant Ward should again partner up in the engine room, while key man Antony Evans should keep his place at the tip of the midfield in support of a front two having netted eight goals so far this term.

There is certainly competition for the two spots up front, and despite the uncertainty around his future, Chris Martin, whose contract expires this month, should continue to lead the line with eight goals of his own on the board this term, while Aaron Collins, John Marquis and Jevani Brown will also fight to start.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Roberts; Williams, De Gevigney, McCart; Connell; O'Keefe, Styles, Kane, Cadden; McAtee, Cole

Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Cox; Taylor, Crama, Grant; Thomas, Ward, Finley, Vale; Evans; Martin, Collins

We say: Barnsley 2-1 Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers will certainly pose a tough test at Oakwell and have the quality to hurt Barnsley, but the Reds do have more quality throughout their squad, and with plenty of momentum of their own, we fancy Collins's men to come out on top in South Yorkshire.


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