Charltonvs.Barnsley

A crucial return to winning ways on Monday left the Reds eight points off the automatic promotion spots with two games in hand on second-placed Derby County, while their visitors have moved well clear of the threat of relegation with a much-improved run in recent months.

Match preview

Charlton Athletic return to the Valley on Saturday with the aim of continuing a climb up the League One table in the final weeks of the season, having enjoyed an impressive upturn in form under new management.

Nathan Jones took the reins in early February, with the Addicks sat in real danger of relegation from England's third tier on just 31 points from 30 games, and they have since added 16 more points to that tally in their first 11 games under his tutelage, only losing once in that time.

That singular defeat came in his first game in charge, and the London outfit have since embarked on a 10-game unbeaten streak including meetings with all of the division's top three sides, climbing up to 16th spot in the process.

Following back-to-back victories over Cheltenham Town and Carlisle United, Jones's men now head into the weekend's trip on the back of three consecutive draws in England's third tier, firstly sharing points away at Fleetwood Town and Exeter City, before most recently hosting playoff-chasing Stevenage on Monday and seeing the contest end goalless at The Valley.

Having now all but wrapped up their League One survival, with an eight-point lead over the bottom four, Charlton Athletic will now turn their focus upwards and bid to extend their unbeaten streak and make a return to winning ways to narrow the four-point gap to the top half.

They do not face an easy test, though, as the visitors travel to London with their sights still set on the automatic promotion spots after bouncing back to winning ways on Monday.

Setting out to win automatic promotion back to the Championship this term after their playoff final heartbreak last time around, under the new management of Neill Collins, Barnsley have enjoyed a pleasing campaign on the whole thus far, remaining in the top-two fight having earned 74 points from their 40 matches.

The Reds' hopes were dealt a major blow by a dip in form in March, as they only managed one win and five points from a five-match span, culminating in a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to strugglers Cambridge United on Friday, but they were able to bounce back in the second game of their Easter weekend double-header last time out.

Collins's men visitors 20th-placed Burton Albion and trailed at the break, but they would eventually draw level and go ahead thanks to John McAtee's brace in the first 20 minutes of the second half, before Luca Connell added a third to put the game out of sight at the Pirelli Stadium.

Having clung onto their top-two hopes in an unconvincing run of form, Barnsley now find themselves eight points behind Derby County with two games in hand and four behind third-placed Bolton Wanderers with one in hand, but with only 18 points left to fight for, they will know they have little more room for error and will bid to make it back-to-back wins while willing other results to go their way at the weekend.

Charlton Athletic League One form:

D

W

W

D

D

D

Barnsley League One form:

D

L

W

D

L

W

Team News

Charlton Athletic were without defender Macaulay Gillesphey, who has been a key man since his January arrival, for their meeting with Stevenage on Monday, and if his absence continues, Rarmani Edmonds-Green should again join Michael Hector and Terell Thomas in a back three after their clean sheet.

Further forward, fellow January signing Freddie Ladapo came in from the start for that game last time out, and he could again lead the line with Daniel Kanu.

Alfie May is certainly their star going forward and will continue to play a key role through the middle, having netted a league-high tally of 21 goals in England's third tier so far this term, while George Dobson and Conor Coventry should again partner up in the engine room despite competition from Tyreeq Bakinson.

Neill Collins altered his Barnsley starting XI slightly for their trip to Burton Albion on Monday, given their busy schedule, and we may see several changes again at the weekend, with John McAtee bound to return from the outset up front, having taken his tally to 10 league goals for the season with his crucial brace off the bench.

Devante Cole should also feature up front from the outset, as he bids to end an 11-game goal drought in the league after hitting the net 17 times in his first 29 appearances this term.

Behind them, Adam Phillips should return to the midfield alongside Herbie Kane and Luca Connell, while Mael De Gevigney, Jamie McCart and Josh Earl should line up in a back three in Donovan Pines's absence.

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:

Isted; Edmonds-Green, Hector, Thomas; Watson, Dobson, Coventry, Small; May; Ladapo, Kanu

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Roberts; De Gevigney, McCart, Earl; Williams, Kane, Connell, Phillips, Cadden; Cole, McAtee

We say: Charlton Athletic 1-1 Barnsley

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