Brad Potts says his two-goal display at Peterborough United was his best for Barnsley and believes that, if the team plays like that more consistently, they will be the champions of League One.
The 24-year-old got the second and third goal in a 4-0 win on his first start for more than a month due to injury. He now has four goals in seven starts this season, more than he netted in 37 Championship games as the Reds were relegated in his first year at the club.
Potts told the Chronicle: “I think it was my best performance for the club. I enjoyed myself, felt confident and attacked a lot.
"It was frustrating to be injured. The physios were sick of me because I never stop moaning when I am injured. I am just really happy to be back out there playing again.”
Head coach Daniel Stendel believes Potts is key to his style of football which places the onus on breaking quickly and pressing the opposition. Potts said: “There is still room for me to improve and he wants my pressing to be even better. When we get the ball we like to counter-attack at pace which suits me well.”
Potts’ first match back was a substitute appearance in the 1-1 draw against lowly Plymouth four days earlier, after which Stendel was frustrated with his side.
The midfielder said: “We needed that (the win at Peterborough) as a team after Plymouth. We know that, if we turn up, we will streamroll teams but we have to do it more often. Teams who are consistent get promoted so we need to follow it up in our next game.
“The lads know we should be up there and, if we get that consistency in our game, we can easily win the league.”
Potts’ first goal was a 25-yard strike after a free-kick was tapped to him by George Moncur who opened the scoring then assisted the other three goals.
He said: “I never really take free-kicks but I said to Moncs ‘lay it off and I’ll have a pop’. Luckily it went in. Moncs showed how good he can be when he’s on it. He’s unplayable at times. We just need that consistency from all the lads. If we do that, we don’t have anything to fear.”
