<div class="mxb"> <div class="sh"> Tykes turn back the clock </div> </div> <font size="2"> </font><div class="mvb"><font size="2"> <table width="416" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="bottom"> <div class="mvb"> <span class="byl"> By Chris Bevan </span> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </font></div> <font size="2"> <table width="208" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="right"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"></td> <td class="sibStdQuote"> <div class="o"> </div> <div> <div class="mva"> We have played very well for the majority of the season and have not got what we deserved - but you have to make your own luck <br clear="all" /> </div></div> <div class="mva"> <div class="mva">Barnsley manager Andy Ritchie</div></div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </font></p> <font size="2">Barnsley may be struggling at the wrong end of the Championship but their fans cannot complain about value for money this season.</font></p> <font size="2">The Tykes' 13 league games so far have produced 45 goals - more than any other team in their division.</font></p> <font size="2">For manager Andy Ritchie and his assistant Rick Holden it is reminiscent of their playing days together at Oldham.</font></p> <font size="2">In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Joe Royle's Latics side produced similar swashbuckling football - with Holden on the wing and Ritchie banging in the goals.</font></p> <font size="2">The duo helped Oldham into the Premiership and enjoyed a series of exciting Cup runs too.</font></p> <font size="2">Fast-forward 15 years and Ritchie is trying for a repeat of that success as a coach - but admits it is not all plain sailing.</font></p> <font size="2">Ritchie told BBC Sport: "We are definitely a side in the mould of the way Rick and I used to play together at Oldham.</font></p> <font size="2">"Back then it was a case of 'they score four - we will score five'.</font></p> <font size="2">"But it is not as simple as that. We have to defend better than we are doing - we just don't do that well enough as a unit.</font></p> <font size="2">"That is not just taking the back four to task about the goals we have conceded but the whole team - the 10 outfield players on the pitch.</font></p> <font size="2">"We can do that and still do the nice attractive bits we do going forward. I don't want us to stop attacking.</font></p> <font size="2">"But collectively we have got to be more switched on and I don't think it will take a lot for us to do that."</font></p> <font size="2">Ritchie began his managerial career with Oldham and worked at Leeds United's academy before taking a similar position with the Tykes in 2004.</font></p> <font size="2"> <table width="203" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="right"> <tbody><tr><td> <div> <div class="cap">Andy Ritchie takes on Man Utd during his Oldham playing days</div> </div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> </font></p> <font size="2">He took over as Barnsley's caretaker manager in March 2005 before landing the job permanently and guided them to promotion from League One in his first full season in charge.</font></p> <font size="2">They made a good start to life in the Championship but have won only one of their last nine league games and stand just one place above the relegation zone.</font></p> <font size="2">And although they have scored 18 goals, they have conceded 27 - leaving Ritchie more than a little frustrated.</font></p> <font size="2">"We have conceded a lot of stupid goals in my mind," he explained.</font></p> <font size="2">"They have not come through the super play of other people but through our own mistakes so in that respect we are disappointed."</font></p> <font size="2">But what hurts Ritchie even more than bad defending is bad luck - something he feels his side have had more than their fair share of recently.</font></p> <font size="2">"I cannot believe how unlucky we have been to end up losing some of our games.</font></p> <font size="2">"For example we had our goalkeeper Nick Colgan sent off early on at Preston and even then we should have got something out of the game but lost 1-0.</font></p> <font size="2">"Those sorts of body blows are tough enough for a manager but are even worse for the players.</font></p> <font size="2"> <table width="208" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="right"> <tbody><tr> <td width="5"></td> <td class="sibStdQuote"> <div> <div class="mva"> It has been a learning process for me and the players. It is difficult for them but they have to start producing <br clear="all" /> </div></div> <div class="mva"> <div class="mva">Andy Ritchie</div></div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </font></p> <font size="2">"When you are playing in those games and you know you have worked so hard and not done anything wrong you could be forgiven for the players feeling a little bit down.</font></p> <font size="2">"But they haven't done. We have tried to keep them as positive as we can and if we can get some better results that will lift their spirits even more."</font></p> <font size="2">And Ritchie is determined to keep smiling as his side try to rediscover their early season form.</font></p> <font size="2">"We are enjoying it and we are adjusting to life at this level," he added.</font></p> <font size="2">"We have played very well for the majority of the seasonso far and we have not got what we deserved - but you have to make your own luck.</font></p> <font size="2">"It has been a learning process for me and the players. It is difficult for them but they have to start producing.</font></p><font size="2">"We don't want to be set adrift at the bottom of the table or get caught up in our own little relegation dogfight either - so we need to make sure we start picking up points as soon as possible." </font>
