Yeovil v Barnsley: Wilson urges bold approach in basement battle

Games do no’t come much bigger than at Huish Park, when bottom hosts second-bottom and brother faces brother in the shape of Reds’ stand-in captain Stephen Dawson locking horns with younger sibling Kevin.

Glovers chief Gary Johnson has described the game as big as a ‘play-off final’ and everyone at Barnsley will know where he is coming from.

Barnsley arrive in Somerset in buoyant mood, having claimed their maiden away success of Wilson’s second coming at Oakwell in a stunning 3-1 victory at play-off candidates Reading – you had to go back to March 11, 1998 for the previous one, a 1-0 success at Villa Park.

That month in 1998 also represents the last time Wilson presided over back-to-back league wins at the Reds’ helm and today represents the perfect time to add a much more contemporary statistic.

While Wilson is far too savvy to talk about points targets for survival he is crystal-clear on one thing.

That the Reds will seal a cherished ‘Great Escape Mk II’ if they carry on where they left off at the Madejski Stadium and he is urging his side to show similar boldness to what they emphatically displayed in Berkshire.

Wilson, who has confirmed he will remain at Oakwell next season – whether the Reds are in the Championship or League One – said: “If we can play like that at Reading, we’ll have no worries.

“Anyone who saw the performance the other night will have great heart because it was a terrific performance and one that gives us confidence going into a really tough game.

“It’s just getting it out of them on a regular basis, that’s the thing rather than the inconsistencies we’ve had.

“There’s no better time than now to try and go on a run and if we can get back-to-back wins at this stage of the season, it will be a terrific boost.”