BARNSLEY bid to make it three away wins on the spin at Preston tomorrow.
The club that struggled under the burden of being the worst travellers in the league for months last season have turned in wins at Doncaster Rovers and Watford in a recent form revival.
"We've got to keep our run going. It's 16 points from the last eight games and that's including a blip against Sheffield United," manager Simon Davey explained.
Barnsley are still counting the cost of a controversial home defeat by United.
Iain Hume, whose skull was fractured in that game, remains months away from recovery and Anderson de Silva, who was red-carded in the same match, is sus
pended
tomorrow and on Monday when Burnley are visitors to Barnsley.
Both players missed last Saturday's home win over Watford, a result which steered Barnsley six points clear of the Championship's bottom three.
"Preston's form has been the opposite of ours," Davey added. "They had a good start - after the first nine games they were a top-four club - but in the next batch of games they have fallen off.
"Still, they're a good squad and they're not in a bad position.
"They're still only four points off the play-offs."
Davey, assistant Barnsley manager Ryan Kidd and chief coach Kelham O'Hanlon all have strong links with Deepdale.
"I was there 10 years as player and coach. Ryan was there 10 and Kelham about seven. We know the place well and it will be good to go back there and put one over them," Davey declared.
"It's the sort of club you expect to be up among the play-off places. They've a strong squad with players who have been there some time.
"Paul McKenna has been there a long time; he's been a very good servant and can be very influential in a game. We have to watch him."
Last time at Preston, Davey's team secured a 2-1 win with Barnsley scoring all three goals.
Diego Leon struck first and a penalty scored by Jon Macken made it 2-0 before Stephen Foster put one in his own goal.
Macken's career launch-pad was at Preston.
After 150 league starts there, including some in the same team as Davey, and 63 goals, he was sold for £5 million to Manchester City.
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