Liam Lindsay says Barnsley’s players would be ready for the challenge of the play-offs, but still believes they can finish in the top two.
The 23-year-old centre-back said the players have reacted well to Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Burton Albion, which ended a 20-match unbeaten run in League One and allowed Sunderland to overtake them in the second promotion place.
Lindsay said: “We had a meeting as a squad without any of the staff. It was positive because we have got ourselves in a good position. Then we had a meeting with the gaffer and it’s been really productive. Your first defeat is going to come at some point so hopefully we react well. We kind of saw a result like that coming because we haven’t been playing as well.
"Hopefully we have nipped it in the bud. We had our sights set on the top two but that has been taken away from us. If it needs to be the play-offs then it needs to be the play-offs but we can definitely still get in the top two. We have five games left and nothing is set in stone.”
Barnsley, who have conceded the fewest goals in the EFL, kept seven successive clean sheets before conceding five in the last two which have brought just one point. Lindsay said: “If you have the best defence in the league you must be doing something right. Maybe the luck hasn’t been there in the last few games. All that really matters is promotion, then we can look at all the defensive records.”
Lindsay, who scored seven goals in his last season for Scottish Premier League side Partick Thistle, has not netted in League One. He said: “When I came down here I thought every header I got was going in. I have only scored one goal in the league and it wasn’t even with my head (against Fulham last season). Hopefully I will get a big goal before the end of the season but I would happily sacrifice that for clean sheets and wins.”
