Michael Duff hailed Barnsley’s ‘incredible achievement’ of winning nine straight home games after they beat Oxford United 2-0.
Slobodan Tedic got both goals, either side of half-time, to secure a comfortable win over relegation-battling visitors.
It is the first time the Reds have won nine home league games in the same season since 1914/15.
Head coach Duff told the Chronicle: “To win nine in a row and 14 out of 15 is an incredible achievement. Word got out a long time ago that we are not a bad team. Teams come here to be hard to beat and we have found a way every time - whether it’s a set play or pressing the life out of team. Today our opportunities came from good football which is pleasing.”
On the game in general, Duff said: “It was a good professional performance. It was a little bit scruffy at the start but we scored at a good time, tweaked a couple of things at half-time and the second half was as comfortable as you can get and we dominated.
“It is tough to win games. There was a feeling in the ground of ‘why aren’t we 3-0 up after 20 minutes?' It won’t happen every week. You have to be patient and find a way.
“We were much better with the ball than on Tuesday (a 0-0 draw at Lincoln) and hurt them in lots of different ways.
“It’s another clean sheet, seven points in a week, nine home wins in a row.”
Striker Tedic struggled for gametime after joining on loan from Manchester City last summer but has three goals in his last three games including the brace on his first league start at Oakwell.
Duff said: “He’s been excellent. We’ve watched him grow during the season. His hold-up play and link play were really good and scored two centre forward’s goals.
“He’s always been a good player, but it’s down to his mentality and he has had to do some work on his game.
“I remember he asked me why he wasn’t in the squad. I reeled off quite a lot of things. He got his head down and worked on them. He got injured but turned that into a positive because he came back physically miles better.”
Both Tedic’s goals were finishes at the front post. Duff said: “We’re always telling the strikers for one to be across the front post and one across the goalie – other areas are for other players. We’re pleased some of the work on the training ground comes out.”
Barnsley stayed six points off the top two as the three teams above them all won, including second-placed Ipswich Town who visit Oakwell on Tuesday.
Duff said: “I am not delighted they’ve all won but I can’t control it. Fair play to them. They will be looking at our results and trying to park us up. We need to beat Ipswich and they need to beat us.”
Midfielder Adam Phillips said: “It was a good win in the end. We minimised their chances. We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game, they are fighting for their lives. But we put a good performance in and were comfortable.
“To win nine in a row at home is a great achievement. It shows the mentality the group has for a young squad.”
