BARNSLEY will be looking to back up their 4-1 thrashing of Bolton with a similar performance when they again face the team in seventh, this time Leyton Orient, from 3pm today.
The London club are currently three points and one place off the play-offs with four games left.
They are nine points ahead of the 11th-placed Reds who have the fifth best away record in the division but have taken only seven points from their nine games on the road in 2025.
Richie Wellens’ Orient were in the relegation zone in December having collected just 15 points from their first 16 games – 12 points and 15 places behind the Reds.
But they then lost just one of the next 14 games until February, with 11 wins and ten clean sheets, which moved them into the top six and ten points clear of Barnsley.
A shock five-game losing run followed and they recently lost at lowly Burton Albion but that was the only defeat in their last six games.
They have won their last two, both away at strugglers Mansfield Town and Crawley Town.
They have only conceded 16 goals in 21 home matches this season.
Wellens has been nominated for League One Manager of the Year along with Chris Davies of Birmingham, Charlton’s Nathan Jones and Wrexham’s Phil Parkinson.
Hourihane told the Chronicle: “They are a really good side who have done really well and play good football.
“We need to be at our very best again and hopefully we can have a similar performance to Bolton.
“The main focus this week has been to build on that and get even better.
“It’s a tough game against a team looking to go for the play-offs.
“The focus is on us to just continue the performance levels against Bolton.”
Orient won 4-0 at Oakwell in December, scoring twice from corners in the first half due to errors by goalkeeper Ben Killip in windy conditions then adding another two to cap a miserable 2024 at Oakwell for the hosts.
Hourihane, who was then Darrell Clarke’s assistant, said he would not be using the 4-0 game as motivation for the players and added: “Those moments are gone. It was a difficult day at the time but we won’t look back at that game and think about it. This is a new chapter and we’re focusing on this week and moving forward.”
The heavy home loss was the first time Barnsley have been beaten by Orient in six meetings since 1981.
In total, the clubs have met 58 times with Barnsley winning 24 and losing 23.
The Reds are unbeaten in their last three games at Brisbane Road, drawing 1-1 there last season, 0-0 in 2015 and winning 3-1 in 1982.
But they have only had three away wins at Orient in 32 attempts since 1905.
