Valerien Ismael: 'We must stay focused at key stage of season'

Barnsley manager Valerien Ismael is refusing to get carried away despite his side being on the verge of sealing a Championship play-off spot.

A slim but thoroughly deserved 1-0 win at Huddersfield saw Ismael's side take advantage of Reading's draw with Luton.

The Reds are now six clear of the Royals with just three games to play. Despite them looking firm favourites to enter the end-of-season lottery, Ismael is refusing to take anything for granted.

"It's a great feeling to have two more points. But now we have to focus on another tough game," declared the Frenchman after watching Daryl Dike's speculative bicycle kick decide a contest that Barnsley bossed from start to finish.

"We've got three games left now. It's a great challenge to finish the job now.

"It's a great feeling for us to win here. I was especially pleased with the performance from the guys.

"It was exactly what we wanted after the Coventry game. We saw a great performance tonight. We should have scored more than just one though."

Whilst loathe to single out any of his players, Ismael couldn't help but be impressed with defender Michael Sollbauer.

Ismael added: "He played strongly, with personality, was clinical in key moments. He played a really great game tonight."

Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan insists his team were beaten by the better side.

Town – who registered just one a solitary shot on target all night – are not yet mathematically safe from relegation and could still be leapfrogged.

Corberan said: "Barnsley deserved the three points despite our hard work tonight.

"It was clearly a tough game, a real battle. We played with enough energy in the first half to compete in this game and the style from both sides was a lot of long direct balls. We defended well but didn't create many chances.

"We had a couple of runs that might have led to something with Josh Koroma but their defenders were better than our strikers.

"In the second half we struggled to beat their press and resist their intensity, which is why they created their chances.

"We then tried to change the type of game we were playing and we looked better with Carel Eiting and more wingers, but we just couldn't create the cross we needed.

"I think we know Barnsley are in that position on merit. They're in the play-offs because they do what they do well. They make great use of second balls and pressing to create chances.

"It was a demanding game and any game where both teams are fighting for points is going to be a tough game. But they were better than us at using their strengths."