Following the Reds’ 2-0 success against Stalybridge, Head Coach Paul Heckingbottom feels the opening pre-season fixture was a good barometer to assess the Reds form.
Goals from Adam Hammill and Jack Cowgill were enough to see the Reds home at Bower Fold and Heckingbottom was impressed with their performance.
The Head Coach was impressed with the effort his side put in, but added there is still some way to go before the first game of the season against Ipswich Town.
He said: “It was a good run out, the first few games are put in as part of our training program and everyone has worked very hard up until today.
“On the ball we’d worked on a few things in training and we saw that today, it’s always great to see it in games so you can give feedback and tell them what they need to do to be in the starting 11.
“It’s good to be back playing and we’ve started well and this is only pre-season.”
Heckingbottom was pleased with the way in which the Reds went about the game but hopes there will be more chances for the strikers to feed on against Guiseley.
“First half we were pleased with everything up to the final third and put some crosses in, but not to the quality Sam Winnall and Marley Watkins wanted.
“We’ll work on that and we know we’ll get less opportunities this season to put them away but these are the games to work upon that."
With a different side selected for each half, Heckingbottom explained his reasoning and philosophy behind selecting the teams.
He added that he will look to keep a similar formation style and squad for Tuesday’s match away at Guiseley.
“Those teams were already on the board in my room, it was just a case of filling in the gaps and that was it. I wanted to keep key partnerships together but everyone got 45 minutes.
“Everybody tried to do everything they were asked of them. The games show up everything the players need to work on in order to be a part of our team.”
Keep an eye on Barnsley Player HD for full reaction from Paul Heckingbottom.
