DESPITE gaining just eight points from their opening 10 Championship matches, Barnsley will be no pushover for bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town at Oakwell tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

Elvin King

DESPITE gaining just eight points from their opening 10 Championship matches, Barnsley will be no pushover for bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town at Oakwell tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

The Blues will go level on points if they collect their much-needed first league victory of the season and after doing well at top-six Sheffield United on Tuesday Roy Keane's men will be fancied to gain more points on Yorkshire soil.

But Mark Robins' Tykes have found their feet at home beating Burnley in the Carling Cup and West Brom in the league in their last two Oakwell fixtures.

Barnsley have drawn Manchester United at home in the last 16 of the Carling Cup, and midfielder Hugo Colace says that the arrival of Robins from Rotherham has been just the boost the club needed.

The Argentinean said: “The new manager's been very good for the players, he's changed the mentality.

“We needed a change and we have played better. It's exciting now because we have started to play better, although last Saturday's 5-2 loss at QPR was disappointing.

“I never thought I'd play against Manchester United, so I can't wait for that moment.

“You always want to play against the best side, Manchester United are one of the best sides in the world.”

Colace has stressed the need for Barnsley to rediscover their concentration despite the 3-1 midweek win over West Brom.

“If we concentrate for 90 minutes we'll win more games,” he added.

Robins is looking to cut out the number of goals conceded after taking over from Simon Davey.

“We conceded five goals against QPR and, when you score two goals away from home, you're disappointed not to have won,” he said.

“I've seen us go a goal down too often; we've got to keep more clean sheets. We've got to stop conceding soft goals. Things don't happen overnight, but there's a good bunch of willing players here.”

Keeper Luke Steele could make a return tomorrow having been sidelined with a broken finger.

He said: “I might be back this weekend, my recovery has gone well. Whether it's on the bench or in the starting XI I don't know, but I could be back.”

David Preece has impressed between the posts in Steele's absence. Barnsley are sweating on the fitness of Anderson de Silva after the midfielder was substituted on Tuesday.

He has undergone a scan and the club will monitor his fitness ahead of Town's visit.