Barnsley: Boss Johnson calling for unbeaten January

The resurgent Reds hammered Rochdale 6-1 on Saturday to claim their fourth win in five games.

And in January, Johnson’s charges have won all three of their league matches and were involved in a battling draw at home to Fleetwood Town in the first leg of their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Northern Area final.

“We want to stay unbeaten in January,” stressed Johnson, ahead of tonight’s Yorkshire derby trip to Bradford City. “It’s important we stay unbeaten moving us into that JPT second leg.

“We had a fantastic win, but we’ve got to move on. We’ve just got to keep going.

“I’m sure the win will give a couple more notches to the boys confidence, but it’s about staying consistent now.

“I feel we have been very consistent in our last ten games, but performance has been key.

“The new players we’ve brought in have been important, they’ve been important to the structure of the team.

“And it’s just started to bind together quite nicely. At this sort of level the jigsaw is so important.

“If you get one part of that jigsaw wrong and it’s not quite balanced in the right way, well then you can get found out. But the players have really taken to what we’ve tried to do. The form is good.

“We’ve got a really tough game away to Bradford, but one we’re really looking forward on the back of some good results.”

Johnson’s team are up to 17th in League One having found some welcome form, with the boss having been under plenty of pressure when his side were rooted to the foot of the table before Christmas.

And with 20 league games remaining Johnson is willing his side to cash in on their return to form for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, Partick Thistle midfielder Stuart Bannigan could be another new arrival at Oakwell before the transfer deadline shuts next Monday February 1.

Bannigan, 23, who is out of contract in the summer, has met with Johnson about the possibility of a move to South Yorkshire.