BARNSLEY RUFC face a huge relegation showdown at Shaw Lane tomorrow as they look to jump out of the Yorkshire League Three drop zone on the final day.
The Shaw Laners host mid-table Wheatley Hills, starting the final day second-bottom, a point off safety, with two to go down to Yorkshire League Four. But there are just three points between them and the four teams above them, two of whom, West Park Leeds and Skipton, play each other.
That means a win is almost certain to keep Barnsley up while a draw or bonus points in defeat might be enough.
They lost their first seven games of the season and have since won seven of 14.
Coach Tom Kittrick said: “If the season had started in November, we would be fourth. But if you give everyone seven games head start you can’t expect not to be in a dogfight in a 22-game season
“I have spoken to the chairman at length. We have plans if the worst happens and plans if we stay up. We all want it to be the latter.
“A relegation would be a massive kick but we would just have to treat it as a speedbump. Recruitment becomes harder in Yorkshire Four.
“Regardless, next year, whichever league we are in, we want to push to be at the top end.
“We feel it would be really unfair if we go down but I am sure other teams think the same.
“We’re confident we can stay up.
“In the last two home games we scored more than 30 points and conceded one try each game.”
The Shaw Laners were due to go bowling as a team bonding session before training twice this week. Wheatley Hills are sixth but only seven points ahead of Barnsley, having lost five of their last six games. Kittrick said: “Just before Christmas they were fourth but they have been on a slide.
“We are hoping we can catch them cold. It’s the last game of the season and they have nothing to play for.
“But we’re not really thinking about them. We need to take all the emotion out of it and get the players in the thought process that it’s just another game. If they are too emotional, they could try too hard and make silly errors.
“We did the same against Castleford in our last home game and it worked.”
The Wheatley Hills match will not be Barnsley’s last of the season.
Kittrick said: “Staying up would give us momentum. We’d have a good celebration. But the week after the Papa John’s Cup starts then the South Yorkshire Cup.
“We will try to lift a cup.
“We want to celebrate something positive not just staying up.”
Meanwhile, promoted Wath host Leeds Corinthians in Yorkshire League Two.
They could win the title if they win, score four tries for a bonus point, and current leaders North Ribblesdale do not pick up any points at third-placed Ripon.
