Jacob Brown is desperate for a first Oakwell goal and hopes it will come during Barnsley’s run of five consecutive home fixtures.
The 20-year-old has played eight League One matches for the Reds this season, starting four and coming off the bench in four. He scored his first career goal with a tap into an open net in the 3-1 win at Fleetwood Town then produced a superb finish in the next game to round off a 4-0 success at Peterborough United. Only Kieffer Moore, Brad Potts and Mama Thiam have scored more goals for Barnsley in League One this season.
Brown told the Chronicle: “I definitely want to get my first home goal soon. “I was close at the weekend with the rebound after the Mama’s free-kick hit the bar. It will be a good moment when I get my first one at Oakwell.”
Brown had been at Oakwell for four years before this season, but had only made two substitute appearances in late 2016 and was loaned out earlier this year to Chesterfield as they were relegated into non-league football.
“I felt like this season I had to finally make an impact. I still have a lot more to do but I am going in the right direction. “It’s already miles better than I was expecting. I wasn’t really expecting to be as involved but to have played a lot and scored two goals, with some other good performances, has been very pleasing.
“Eventually I will be able to cement a place in the first team but, at the moment, I just need to keep working hard, learn more and be more consistent.”
Following tomorrow’s league game against Southend United, Barnsley play three cup matches with Checkatrade Trophy ties either side of an FA Cup clash with Notts County. The coaching staff have highlighted that run as a time to give more experience to young players who are not starting every game such as Brown and his former under 23s team-mates Victor Adeboyejo, Jack Walton, Ben Williams and Jared Bird.
Brown, who started at right-back in the last Checkatrade Trophy game, said: “It’s a good chance for us all to show how we can play and fit in with the first team. We need to play well so the gaffer has confidence to play us in the league. To have four or five of us stepping up to the first team has been massive.”
After losing to a physical Shrewsbury side, Barnsley ground out a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers. Brown said: “After a couple of bad performances, we knew we needed a win. We showed we can win either way, whether it’s scrappy or not. I am quite physical but it is hard playing against these big centre-backs and I need to get used to it.”
