Barnsley manager Gerhard Struber has provided a fitness update on Mike Bahre and Clarke Oduor ahead of their FA Cup clash against Portsmouth.

The Tykes are currently preparing for their Fourth Round clash with Pompey after seeing off League Two side Crewe Alexandra in the previous round 3-1.

Since the appointment of Struber, Barnsley’s hopes of salvaging something from this season have been greatly improved as they climbed from the abyss towards safety in recent months. Their hopes of catching those outside the relegation zone hit a snag as they fell to a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Preston North End while Stoke City recorded a shock 1-0 win over West Brom.

Their Championship campaign takes a back seat this weekend as they look to build an FA Cup run under Struber. Barnsley face a trip to Fratton Park to face League One play-off hopefuls Portsmouth who sit seventh in the third tier but are yet to taste defeat on home soil all season in all competitions.

Ahead of the game, Gerhard Struber provided a fitness update on Mike Bahre and Clarke Oduor, with mixed news for the pair. The Yorkshire Post’s Leon Wobschall revealed: 

Bahre has had a mixed season at Oakwell this season, having originally started with the captain’s armband under Daniel Stendel, before being frozen out under Adam Murray, to then be reintroduced to the side under Struber without the armband.

Clarke Oduor has become a solid member of the Tykes back four in recent weeks after having a slow start at the club, following his move from Leeds in the summer. 

Both players haven’t been in the squad for the last two fixtures and look set to miss out again at the weekend.

The verdict

It would be expected for Struber to make changes anyway, regardless of these two being available, given the last performance against Preston and being able to rotate in the cup competitions more freely.

Barnsley will fancy their chances of getting through this tie as the side in the higher division, but it won’t be an easy task with Pompey’s home form tremendous this season.

Bahre and Oduor have been important parts of the side since the festive period and it’s a blow to see them look set to miss out again, but there are more pressing matters to attend to than a cup run, given their relegation battle.

Resting the pair for this game should be enough to see at least Oduor, if not Bahre too, be fit for the next league game when Barnsley face Charlton at the Valley.