Horsham v Barnsley FC: Neill Collins warns concentration key to avoid being FA Cup fall guys
Source: Yorkshirepost

JUST about every professional club in England has been on the wrong end of a cup upset but Barnsley have been given a second chance after skirting close to another themselves.

Manager Neill Collins is anxious for his team to learn the lessons of their 3-3 draw at home to Isthmian League Horsham when the teams go again in Tuesday's FA Cup first-round replay.

Their manager says the 1912 winners, now League One promotion wannabes, will need better concentration to dodge the fate of so many clubs in the past.

"We saw other clubs suffering issues which have been going around the FA Cup for many years," argues Collins, a 2014 semi-finalist with then-League One Sheffield United. "We created more than enough chances to win comfortably, we scored three goals, but really our downfall was our mentality against the ball.

WARNING: Barnsley manager Neill CollinsWARNING: Barnsley manager Neill CollinsWARNING: Barnsley manager Neill Collins"It wasn't lack of effort but when you have so much of the ball you expect every time you lose it to get it back pretty quickly and you switch off. We got punished pretty ruthlessly on three occasions. Outside of that I think there was only one shot on our goal."

Striker Sam Cosgrove, fit after a back injury, says the over-riding emotion for him is excitement.

"It's exciting for us because it's away from the norm," he argues. "I imagine it will be packed out but it won't be a massive stadium. They'll come flying out of the blocks and there will be a pretty raucous atmosphere."

With Saturday's game against Carlisle United postponed because Devante Cole, Jon Russell, Callum Styles and Fabio Jalo are on international duty, Cosgrove is eager for his first game-time since being sent off at Leyton Orient more than three weeks ago.

"It's been a frustrating couple of weeks breaking down a little in training," he admits. "Mentally I'm right at it. Physically I'm still just building my fitness."