Neill Collins says Barnsley will get at least the three points they need from three games to finish in the top six if they show the ‘attitude, character and intensity’ they displayed in a 2-2 home draw with Reading on Saturday.
The visitors took the lead twice but Adam Phillips then teenage substitute Fabio Jalo levelled.
The Reds are now five points clear in the top six and need three to make the play-offs, potentially less if teams below them drop points.
Collins told the Chronicle: “We want to win games and, with three games left, if the boys show the same attitude character and intensity, we will get at least three points and be in the play-offs.”
Jalo came on after 34 minutes for the injured Jon Russell, netting his first league goal seconds after Barnsley had gone 2-1 down then hitting the post at 2-2.
Collins said: “To score quick helped us a lot and it got the stadium up then Fabio could have taken the roof off with his shot that hit the post.
“He’s a real goal threat. We brought him on because we felt the game would be open and we wanted our best attacking players on the pitch.
"I am really pleased with him. He’s going to have a big impact, how big that is will be down to him.
“We have to remember he’s 18. That will have taken a lot out off him. He played 70 minutes. We have to be mindful but it’s a great option.
“We didn’t have many options. Losing Luca Connell yesterday, then Jon Russell went off, Josh Benson is injured. We just felt attacking at home in this game was the best way to go.”
On the game in general, Collins said: “It was possibly as fair result. But we’re at the stage of the season where we’re not too concerned with what is fair and unfair, because if we were we would have had more points in the last few weeks.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win the game but equally didn’t give ourselves enough of a chance with some of the mistakes we made. The players’ effort, attitude and resilience was fantastic. They gave everything until the last minute and, in the last 15 minutes, we were the team who looked like winning.”
Collins added: “I thought we started really well, created opportunities but then a little bit of nervousness crept in. There were moments in the first half that were poor but there was good play at the other end. It wasn’t a really poor first half performance.
“It was difficult in the second half because Reading were so open and attacking that every time we gave the ball away in the final third we were going the other way. We just felt we had to go for it and Reading did the same so that’s probably why it ended up with so many chances for both teams.”
Wing-back Corey O’Keeffe added: “At times it was a bit like a basketball game. We both had chances but I feel like we could have won it.
"Their first goal is a free header in the six yard box which can’t happen. We maybe could have pressed a bit better for the second one but he’s (Lewis Wing) put a great strike into the top corner.
“We were dying for a win but it’s still in our hands and we’ll get the points elsewhere. We’re all confident. We just need a win to get over the line.”
Connell picked up an injury on Friday, with Collins saying he hoped he would be visit to play at Portsmouth on Tuesday.
