Pressure on Portsmouth and Sunderland in automatic promotion race, says Barnsley’s Jacob Brown

Pompey and Sunderland are under the most pressure in the race for automatic promotion from League One – and not Barnsley.
Barnsley's Jacob Brown. Picture Scott MerryleesBarnsley's Jacob Brown. Picture Scott Merrylees
Barnsley's Jacob Brown. Picture Scott Merrylees

That’s the view of Tykes midfielder Jacob Brown as the fight for a top-two finish hots up.

Pompey climbed above Sunderland to move into third after defeating Shrewsbury on Saturday.

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That saw the Blues remain four points adrift of second-placed Barnsley with seven games to play.

But Daniel Stendel’s side needed a stoppage-time strike from Brown to see off relegation-threatened Walsall in the lunchtime kick-off.

Meanwhile, Sunderland were without a game because of international call-ups.

Kenny Jackett’s men meet the Black Cats in the Checkatrade Trophy final on Sunday.

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By that time, Jack Ross’ troops will have played three League One games fewer than Barnsley – who face Coventry on Saturday – while they have two games in hand on Pompey.

But Brown wants his side to keep applying the pressure in the race for the Championship.

He told Barnsley’s website: ‘It was a massive result (at Walsall), every game is big now.

'The pressure isn’t on us, it’s on those trying to catch us.

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‘If we keep on winning, it will take a lot for us to be caught.

‘We’ll keep taking each game as they come, there are still seven games left to play and we have to continue to keep on fighting for what we want.

‘We’ll rest up and come back fighting again next Saturday against Coventry.’

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