Daniel Stendel is pleased Barnsley were able to take advantage of dropped points by the sides below them but insists their focus is on catching leaders Luton Town.
The Reds won 2-1 at home to Wycombe Wanderers to stay six points behind Luton, who have played a game more. They are five points clear of third-placed Portsmouth, who drew 3-3 with Southend after being 3-0 up, and another point ahead of fourth-placed Sunderland who drew 2-2 with Accrington yesterday.
“It was a very good three points, especially after the draws from Sunderland and Portsmouth,” said head coach Stendel whose side are unbeaten in 12.
“We don’t look at the teams behind us but the team in front of us which is Luton. It’s important that we win our games then it doesn’t matter what other teams do. The confidence is very high after the last weeks but we are not speaking too much about it. We just focus on playing and winning.”
Barnsley lost 1-0 at Wycombe in December, their last defeat before this unbeaten run. Stendel said: “Wycombe is not our favourite team to play against. The first game against them was probably our worst performance, we were too lazy and we only had once chance in 90 minutes. I told the players we needed to be attacking all the time and we could win this game.
“We didn’t have our best day today, we seemed a little bit tired, but we still won which was our goal. It was not a nice game but it was a deserved win.”
With top-scorer Kieffer Moore out through injury, Cauley Woodrow netted both goals for the Reds to move onto 13 for the season. Stendel said: “I am happy with Cauley. After the injury to Kieffer Moore, we needed his goals and he took that responsibility. He played very well and he is a leader in our team.”
The opening goal was a penalty after the referee saw a trip by Luke Bolton on Mike Bahre, who had been brought into the side for Moore. Bahre said: “I felt a touch and then I was falling. I don’t really know but I think it was a pen.
“It was a big moment for us to get an early goal because we knew that Wycombe are hard to play against. Most of our players are young and still learning but we have more experience now and we learned from the last game with Wycombe.
"Today was another difficult and tricky game for us. It was not too easy to get chances but we got three points which is all that counts. It was not my best game but it was OK, with some good situations.”
