Both aiming to bounce back from defeats last weekend, Barnsley and Stevenage will square off at Oakwell on Saturday.
The visitors remain fifth in the League One table having enjoyed a quick climb before their recent setback, while their visitors sit 16th in the midst of a three-match winless streak.
Match preview
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Barnsley return to action on Saturday aiming to strengthen their standing in the League One playoff places, having seen a winning streak brought to an end last weekend.
They have enjoyed a pleasing start to life under Darrell Clarke thus far, following up back-to-back playoff failures under previous managers by amassing 42 points from their opening 26 games to sit fifth.
The Reds' record at Oakwell was a cause for concern in that start, though, with 16 teams in England's third tier having managed more than their 17 points at home thus far, but they appear to have turned a corner having won their last two games in South Yorkshire, beating Wrexham and Crawley Town 2-1 and 3-0 respectively early in the new year.
Those triumphs extended a winning streak to four games after beating Bolton Wanderers and Peterborough United on the road to round off 2024, but on their return to action last weekend, Clarke's men were unable to make it five on the bounce, visiting Bristol Rovers and eventually losing 3-1, having halved a two-goal deficit through Josh Earl in the second half only for Ruel Sotiriou to put the game out of sight late on.
With their climb halted by that setback, Barnsley remain fifth in England's second tier but only lead sixth-placed Stockport County and seventh-placed Reading by a single point, and they will be keen to solidify their position in the top sixth with a third straight home win at the weekend.
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They take on a visiting side who will also aim to bounce back at Oakwell after a defeat last weekend in a bid to strengthen their healthy lead over the fight at the bottom of the division.
In their second consecutive third-tier campaign, and their first under the permanent management of Alex Revell, Stevenage currently sit 16th having earned 31 points from their 24 games thus far, winning eight of those and suffering nine defeats along the way.
That has not been down to their away form, though, with only two sides in the division having earned fewer than their eight points on the road while their only away win thus far came against Mansfield Town in mid-October.
The Boro have since suffered a defeat and played out three straight goalless stalemates on the road, most recently sharing the points away at Lincoln City early in the new year before hosting Wigan Athletic on Saturday and suffering a 2-1 loss as Thelo Aasgaard snatched all three points with an injury-time free kick.
Now on the back of a 1-0 EFL Trophy third-round win over Leyton Orient in midweek, thanks to an own goal, Stevenage return to League One with a 10-point lead over the drop zone, but with no side in the division having netted as few as their 19 goals thus far, they will be keen to kick off and climb the table with a victory at the weekend.
Team News
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Darrell Clarke should field a similar Barnsley starting XI to last weekend, although Stephen Humphrys may come in from the start to rejoin Davis Keillor-Dunn up front in their 3-5-2 shape.
Keillor-Dunn leads the Reds' scoring charts with 10 goals this season, while Adam Phillips offers further attacking threat from the midfield having found the net eight times.
He should operate alongside Jon Russell and Luca Connell in the engine room, while Donovan Pines will hope to displace Marc Roberts and join Mael De Gevigney and Josh Earl in a back three.
Stevenage head to Oakwell without midfielder Louis Thompson, who was sent off in their last League One outing against Wigan Athletic.
Alex Revell made plenty of changes for their midweek EFL Trophy tie, and the likes of Charlie Goode, Dan Sweeney, Kane Smith, Harvey White and Nick Freeman all laid claims to stay in the starting XI for their return to third-tier action.
Carl Piergianni and Nathan Thompson should return to the middle of the defence from the start, though, while Jamie Reid could come back in to lead the line with Freeman, Dan Kemp, Jake Young, Elliott List and Jordan Roberts all competing to start in support.
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Killip; De Gevigney, Pines, Earl; O'Keefe, Phillips, Russell, Connell, Gent; Humphrys, Keillor-Dunn
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Wildin, Piergianni, N Thompson, Smith; White, Phillips; Freeman, Kemp, Roberts; Reid
We say: Barnsley 2-1 Stevenage
Despite the visitors' midweek victory and the hosts' setback last weekend, Barnsley should have the quality to get over the line at Oakwell and make a swift return to winning ways in their promotion bid.
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Sam Varley
