Aiming to keep their automatic-promotion bid on track, Barnsley will welcome early-season strugglers Fleetwood Town to Oakwell on Saturday afternoon in League One.

The Tykes are on a mission to improve their home record after a comfortable success over Shrewsbury Town in the week, while on the same night the Cod Army, earned a dramatic winner at basement dwellers Reading.

Match preview

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Barnsley extended their unbeaten run in League One to four games with a 3-0 success over Shrewsbury at Oakwell on Tuesday night, when Herbie Kane, Callum Styles and leading marksman Devante Cole all got onto the scoresheet to secure the hosts' eighth win of the campaign after 14 matches, representing a healthy return as they attempt to escape the third tier.

For the third time in four matches, the Tykes managed to keep a clean sheet, with a back three of Jordan Williams, Jamie McCart and Mael de Gevigney limiting the visiting Shrews to just two shots on target during the entire contest, and only Portsmouth and Oxford United have conceded fewer than the Reds this season.

Former Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Neill Collins is certainly enjoying his first spell as a manager in the English system, with Barnsley currently occupying third position in the League One standings after collecting 26 points from their opening 14 matches, with second-placed Oxford United only two points ahead.

Saturday's hosts have been the division's most potent attack so far this term, and a lot of their threat comes from former Manchester City youngster Cole, who has already made the net ripple on 10 occasions in just 14 league games, meaning the striker is well on his way to surpassing his tally of 15 from the 2022-23 campaign.

Supporters turning up in their thousands to Oakwell on the weekend will be painfully aware that their side need to drastically improve their home results in order to finish inside the top two, with Barnsley having lost four of their seven matches at their Yorkshire base this season, leaving the Tykes in the bottom half of the table in terms of home form.

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Highlighting the relative stature of the two clubs, Fleetwood travelled down to Berkshire on Tuesday night to face former Premier League outfit Reading for the first time in their history, and the 129 supporters of the Cod Army at the Select Cars Leasing Stadium were given a game to remember.

Things started perfectly for the visitors after youngster Bosun Lawal rifled in his first-ever goal in senior football before Dominic Ballard equalised for the Royals in the second half, but it would be Fleetwood who were destined to have the last laugh, with Josh Vela netting a 92nd-minute winner.

Following back-to-back wins against Leyton Orient and bottom side Cheltenham Town before the international break, successive losses to Wycombe Wanderers and Lincoln City at Highbury Stadium threatened to widen the gap between Town and safety, but Tuesday's victory against Ruben Selles's men means Fleetwood are now only three points from 20th-placed Carlisle United.

Lee Johnson's side have struggled with scoring regularly so far this campaign, having found the net on just 10 occasions in 13 games, and there is extra pressure on ex-Derby County forward Jack Marriott to fire in the goals for the Cod Army after moving from Peterborough United earlier in the year.

Fleetwood have collected eight of their 11 League One points away from the Highbury Stadium so far this term, meaning they are prime candidates to take advantage of Barnsley's questionable record at Oakwell, although the Tykes have won the last six meetings between the sides, including an EFL Trophy semi-final clash in 2016.

Team News

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Barnsley have been forced into a change in goal during the last few weeks as Liam Roberts continues to recover following an operation on his finger, meaning Ben Killip is set to make his third league start of the term on Saturday.

The Reds will be sweating over the fitness of goalscorer Styles after he was forced off at half time on Tuesday due to a knock, with Adam Phillips set to be included in the XI should the Hungarian be unable to play.

Better news for the Reds arrives in the form of midfielder Luca Connell, who will play for the club's Under-21s side on Monday as he steps up his return from an illness which has kept him out of the 2023-24 term to date.

Kacper Lopata's rehabilitation from a shoulder injury sustained in September is progressing nicely according to manager Collins, but the Pole is not in contention to feature at Oakwell this weekend.

Fleetwood's injury worries have eased in recent weeks, but right-back Carl Johnston is set to be out for some time after suffering ligament damage in the loss against Lincoln last weekend.

Jayden Stockley pulled out during the warm-up at Highbury Stadium last weekend but was fit enough to feature off the bench for the Cod Army in the win at Reading on Tuesday, meaning the forward should be in the matchday squad at Oakwell.

Johnson's side will remain without the services of centre-back Aristote Nsiala after he received a straight red card in the loss against the Imps, so Connor Teale will partner Ben Heneghan at the heart of the visitors' backline.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Killip; Williams, De Gevigney, McCart; Cotter, Russell, Kane, Cadden; McAtee, Phillips, Cole

Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:
Lynch; Lawal, Teale, Heneghan, Earl; Omochere, Sarpong-Wiredu, Mayor, Quitirna, Vela; Marriott

We say: Barnsley 2-1 Fleetwood Town

Barnsley eased past Shrewsbury to keep pace with the top two in League One in midweek, and the Reds will be targeting a relegation-threatened Fleetwood side as a good opportunity for another three points.

The Cod Army were impressive at Reading on Tuesday and will be full of confidence heading to Yorkshire, but we believe the likes of Cole and potentially Styles will be too hot to handle for the visitors.


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