BARNSLEY are hoping to collect a fourth win from their five games in a fortnight when they host mid-table Blackpool from 3pm on Saturday.
The Reds recorded their fifth home win of the season when they beat Lincoln City 4-3 on Saturday. That was a third successive victory before they lost at Charlton Athletic in midweek.
The Seasiders are 13th, seven points and three places behind the Reds.
This week they lost 2-1 at Stockport County – ending an 11-game unbeaten run with eight draws – on Saturday and drew 0-0 at home to Peterborough United on Tuesday.
Blackpool are 13 points off the play-offs and 12 clear of the relegation zone.
Only the top four have lost fewer games than Blackpool’s nine but just five clubs have won fewer than their ten victories.
Their total of 15 draws is the most in the division.
Seven of their victories have been on the road and they had been unbeaten in five away before the weekend loss.
Veteran manager Steve Bruce, who took over from Neil Critchley as manager this season, has taken charge of more than 1,000 games in his career.
Clarke told the Chronicle: “I said to my staff and players it was a big five games.
“We’ve won three of the first four and we have an opportunity to win the fourth on Saturday. It’s all hands to the pump for that game.”
He added: “Blackpool are another team who were in the Premier League not that long ago and they have played a lot in the Championship.
“They have maybe not had the season they would have liked. They would have expected to be up around the top six.
“Steve Bruce has been there, done it and got the t-shirt. They have got a decent squad.
“We know it’s a test and even more so with the injury problems we’ve got.”
Bruce was absent from his side’s home game against Barnsley in October due to the tragic death of his four-year-old grandson. Barnsley won 2-1 thanks to goals by Davis Keillor-Dunn and Marc Roberts, who netted in injury-time off his shoulder. The Reds had lost the previous five meetings with Blackpool, who have won their last two games at Oakwell.
This is due to be the 110th meeting of the clubs, with Barnsley winning 47 and losing 37.
Blackpool have former Barnsley striker Ashley Fletcher.
