Marcus Braddock previews Friday's trip to Oakwell
This Good Friday sees Shrewsbury Town travel to Barnsley after a difficult week off the field for the Tykes. Fortunately I only have to focus on what happens on the other side of the touchline and in that respect the Yorkshire team have been very good all season. With just a handful of games left, 2nd placed Barnsley are looking to cap off the season with promotion to the Championship but Charlton, Portsmouth and Sunderland all within three points. Pompey and the Black Cats also have a game in hand so the Tykes will be looking to earn maximum points over the Easter weekend just to stay in second place.
Top Scorers
Kieffer Moore 16
Cauley Woodrow 14
Assists
Alex Mowatt 8
Jacob Brown 6
Clean Sheets
Ten at home and ten away.
Barnsley home stats
The Tykes have yet to concede in the first half of a League One home game this season. They've coupled that defensive solidity with some very quick starts, scoring eight in the first fifteen minutes and seven in the next fifteen.
Barnsley are one of two teams in Skybet League One who have yet to lose at home, only top placed Luton have a better record.
Barnsley have earned an average of 2.24 points per game at home, scoring an average of 1.7 and conceding just 0.67.
Referee - Scott Oldham from Lancashire. Games this season: 31. Yellow cards: 93. Red cards: 1.
Squad News
With the exception of long-term injury victims Kenny Dougall and Kieffer Moore, Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel has a full squad to choose from.
Dave Edwards is out after ankle surgery; Steve Arnold remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Summary
With our away form picking up we face one of the best home teams in the division, which is going to provide a stern test in all areas of the pitch. We need to be alert from the first second, as the stats suggest that the Tykes don't hang about when it comes to taking the lead. Ten clean sheets at home suggest we'll be doing well to score, let alone winning but all things are possible. Earlier this season we beat Barnsley at home when we were in much worse form and expected to lose so why shouldn't we be the first team to beat Barnsley at home?
COYB!!!