Barnsley are hoping to close the gap on League One's mid-table sides tomorrow, including visitors Rochdale.
The Reds will look for their fourth successive league victory when they host Dale who are four points and four places ahead of them and managed by former Barnsley boss Keith Hill.
Head coach Lee Johnson said: "This is a good game to set a mark and we want to pull them in. We can get within a point of them if we win and it's important that we continue our form and edge up the division."
Hill had one of the worst win percentages of any Barnsley manager when in the Oakwell hotseat for 18 months in 2011 and 2012. But he led Rochdale to their highest ever finishing position of eighth in League One last season, despite losing the last game 5-0 at Oakwell.
Dale then beat the Reds 3-0 at Spotland in August, just after Barnsley's League Cup thriller with Everton.
Johnson said of Hill: "I'll text him and make sure he wears a different colour tweed to me. He's a character but I like him a lot and I've got a lot of time for him. He's a good manager as well. He's got history here and he's a bit marmite as a character but I'm one that likes him as a person.
"Both of the games we've had against them have been completely false. You couldn't have got a more false set of games if you tried. The first one was the last game of the season and was very experimental from both teams. It was 0-0 with 20 minutes to go and then we ended up banging in five. The result at their place, where we lost 3-0, was heavily due to the game on the Wednesday against Everton."
If Barnsley win tomorrow they will match the four straight wins achieved in Johnson's first four games as Reds boss last season. But he believes Barnsley are on better form than back then. Johnson said: "I think last year Davo (goalkeeper Adam Davies) was on fire and keeping us in games. We were staying in games through our solidarity and the little bit of luck that we haven't had this season.
"Our games recently have been pretty convincing. That's not getting ahead of ourselves. At the end of the day we're not out of the woods yet. If we can continue the consistency of performance and solidarity in our shape then we will be fine."
Johnson hopes his young side can get over the nerves which have held them back at Oakwell this season. He said: "We've probably played better away. I think that the lads sometimes get a little bit nervous at home and it's a case of making sure that they don't and that everybody sticks with them. It's a big club and a tough ask for young players to have to deal with that.
"But, by the same token, when Oakwell is whipped up it's a great place because it aids that confidence and gives the players that extra speed and energy. They feel everybody is behind them and they've earned that. It's important that they continue that good relationship with the fans."
Dale won 3-0 at second-placed Walsall in their last away trip but history is on the Reds' side as they have won 23 meetings between the two clubs, losing 11. Dale have only won once at Oakwell in the league, in 1979. n Barnsley's Johnstone's Paint Trophy trip to Fleetwood has been moved to Thursday, February 4. The Reds' home league game against Bury has moved a day back to Sunday February 7.
