The Barnsley promotion plane has kept on flying this week after a comfortable Wednesday night success away at lowly Wycombe Wanderers.

This match was always going to be looked at as a banana skin, with the Chairboys coming off the back of a 1-0 success over Preston North End and their directness can trouble anyone in the league on their day.

Barnsley though would possess a different test, and any fears from their fans about them slipping up or running out of steam at this stage proved to be unfounded.

The Tykes went ahead just before half time when Cauley Woodrow thumped home a penalty, and not long after the second half began USA international Daryl Dike added to his goal tally with a close-range header to double the Yorkshire side's advantage.

There was a slight nervy moment when they were reduced to 10 men as captain Alex Mowatt was dismissed for a two-footed challenge, but Valerien Ismael's men didn't stop attacking and Dike notched his second of the game, with Uche Ikpeazu grabbing a late consolation for the hosts.

 

 

 

 

That result means Barnsley have won nine of their last 10 league games and are unbeaten in 12, and they're getting Ian Holloway really excited.

The former Crystal Palace and Blackpool manager was a pundit on Quest last night, and he could not speak highly enough of the Tykes - and is tipping them to finish in the top six.

“I’m going to worry Barnsley to death, my money is on them," said Holloway.

"I really do think they’re play-off bound, and I love their manager, brilliant”

The Verdict

Holloway probably isn't the only person tipping the club for a play-off place - at this rate you can't see them losing another match!

After last night's result and Reading's defeat to Birmingham, the Tykes are now in fifth position which is absolutely remarkable considering where they finished last season, and all credit must go to Ismael for pushing the team that Gerhard Struber developed on to the next level.

Now the real test comes as the pressure is on to stay in that top six - they are five points clear of seventh-placed Bournemouth but don't even rule them out of finishing in the top two if the likes of Watford, Swansea and Brentford start to falter on a consistent basis - this is the Championship after all and anything can happen.