COREY O’Keeffe was relieved when Barnsley were awarded a penalty at Reading on Saturday having missed a golden chance to equalise.
The right wing-back missed a one-on-one opportunity then saw a defender hit his own post from the rebound before the referee blew his whistle for an earlier handball in the box.
Herbie Kane netted the spot-kick and Barnsley came from behind to win 3-1.
O’Keeffe told the Chronicle: “I thought I was going to score.
“I am half glad we got the penalty now because I missed it.
“The gaffer goes on to me about getting forward and creating stuff.
“There is my defensive side as well but I will keep bombing forward and trying to get goals and assists.”
O’Keeffe has been competing with Barry Cotter to play on the right all season and could be joined in that battle by Jordan Williams who has been playing in the back three.
He said: “It’s healthy.
“You always want to play and, if there are players doing well, you have to do better than them.
“That will be good for the team.
“It’s good competition and anyone who comes in will play well.”
O’Keeffe is enjoying being in a promotion battle having mainly fought relegation in the past with Macclesfield, Rochdale and Forest Green who he left earlier this year.
“There is a deferent type of pressure.
“You are expected to win and get promoted.
“I like that. I enjoy the challenge.”
How does O’Keeffe see Barnsley’s promotion challenge?
“The top half at the moment is very tight. Anyone can beat anyone within it.
“Then there are surprises lower down. We had a meeting the other day and the gaffer told us we just need to keep going the way we are, at two points per game.
“It was a positive meeting and we just need to keep chipping away.”
Barnsley now host Charlton Athletic tomorrow, hoping to improve their home record and their record against top ten sides.
“We have spoken about the home form and know it needs to get better.
“There is no better way to do that than on Saturday.
“If we beat Charlton, it shows we can beat teams around us not just teams below. We know we can and it will come. The squad is taking shape, everyone is on the same wavelength. We have a busy Christmas period to pick up points.”
