Paul Heckingbottom is delighted his Barnsley side have reached 50 points by the end of February but wants more from this season, starting from tomorrow's trip to Derby County.

The Reds – who have reached a half-century of Championship points quicker than in any season since 1999/2000 – are eight points and four places off the play-off places.

Heckingbottom told the Chronicle: "We're pleased to get to 50 points at this stage and it's a really good achievement. We're pleased with how we have adapted to the league and dealt with different challenges on and off the pitch. But you can't be satisfied with that.

"We have never spoken about the league table and the play-offs. We didn't talk about aiming to stay up at the start of the season because you limit yourself to fourth bottom and we haven't spoken about the top six because, once you can't get it, your target has gone. It's pointless.

"It's just about being as good as we can be. If any of players take their foot off the gas because they think we are safe then someone else will come in and take their place."

He added: "We're just trying to get better every day in training and in every game until the end of the season and, if the play-offs are there for us, then they are there for us."

Tomorrow's hosts Derby are one place and two points below Barnsley. The Rams picked up just 14 points from their first 14 games of the season and Steve McClaren replaced Nigel Pearson early on. But a run of seven wins in a row in late 2016 took them from 22nd to fifth.

They were still in the play-off places at the end of January but they had a dreadful February, losing five and drawing two of their seven matches, and are now ten points adrift off the play-off places.

They have not scored in any of their last three games while they conceded as many goals in their last three home matches, seven, as in their previous 14 including a club record eight successive home clean sheets.

County have only won once in 2017 at Pride Park, where Barnsley have a poor record with just one win in their last 14 visits to Derby since 1983 which have brought nine defeats. The Rams have the third best defensive record in the division behind the top two but have scored the fewest goals in the top half.

The East Midlands outfit were beaten 2-0 at Oakwell in August as Scott Carson scored an own goal and Alfie Mawson added another.

Top-scorer Darren Bent is a doubt while injuries have denied Derby their regular centre-back partnership of Richard Keogh, who had recently played 100 consecutive games, and former Reds captain Jason Shackell.

Another former Barnsley skipper, Jacob Butterfield, has played 35 games for the Rams this season but is yet to score and was left out of the side for the 1-0 loss at struggling Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday.

Heckingbottom said: "They are a very good team with players who can win a game out of nothing.  They still have a chance of the play-offs if they get back on the type of run that they were on when Steve first took over.

"We have to limit the opportunities they get and put them under as much pressure as much as possible to make them uncomfortable and create chances."

Heckingbottom had to sit in the West Stand for Saturday's battling 1-1 draw with third-placed Huddersfield Town as he served a touchline ban for going into the Wolves dugout the previous month.

"I didn't enjoy it and it's worse than any fine they can give you. Maybe I am kidding myself by thinking I have an effect on the game from the sidelines but I enjoy it a lot more down there.

"I can't see myself ever choosing to sit up in the stands. It was strange and frustrating. I felt detached from the game. I didn't realise how much I talk to the players in the game until I couldn't do it."