BARNSLEY goalkeeper Brad Collins believes he is over the ‘few sticky weeks’ in his otherwise excellent season and put his mistakes down to not playing for almost a month at the start of 2022.
The 25-year-old has been one of the Reds’ best players in a difficult campaign, making the most saves in the Championship and producing several man of the match performances.
But he made a series of costly errors in late January and early February, having not played for 25 days due to Covid-19 related postponements.
Collins told the Chronicle: “It was frustrating. I had had a long time out in January when we didn’t have a game.
“I lost a bit of momentum but I feel I have found my feet again now.
“It’s hard when you don’t play games for that period of time and momentum is a big thing.
“It goes back to results.
“It takes its toll on everyone when you’re in this position, it’s a tough situation but we will stick together and focus on each other.”
Head coach Poya Asbaghi kept faith in Collins and did not drop him, with the goalkeeper then producing solid performances in the last three games.
“I am delighted for that, but I have had a good season. I had a few sticky weeks but I have moved on.”
Barnsley are nine points from safety with 14 games left, an identical scenario to two years ago when a squad including Collins stayed up on the final day.
“We have a game in hand. It’s crunchtime now. We have to win games.
“The games are coming thick and fast and we have to go on a run if we want to stand a chance.
“It’s obviously difficult and the league table doesn’t lie.
“But there is definitely more belief in the changing room to stay up.
“Since Poya’s come in we are much more solid, we’re in games but we just need to get the last little five per cent right. There are loads of games left, we still have to play the teams down there with us.
“Everyone thinks we’re dead and buried but no one else sees the belief in the dressing room.
“Everyone else can talk nonsense if they want.
“We don’t want to be in League One, the club doesn’t deserve to be in League One. It’s up to us to fix it, we’re the ones on the pitch. I see every day in training the level we have in this building and I know for sure we’re definitely not the worst team in this league. We finished fifth last season.”
