BARNSLEY boss Steve Parkin may not have to face Andy Cole - but he is more worried about coming up against Rovers World Cup-bound winger Damien Duff.

The Tykes boss has picked the Republic of Ireland star out as the one to watch as his in-form First Division side welcome Rovers to Oakwell in the third round of the FA Cup.

"I think the one perhaps we fear most is Damien Duff," said the 36-year-old former Mansfield and Rochdale chief.

"He has a good pace and always puts a good delivery into the box plus he can score goals.

"But it is difficult to pick one player out of the side. They are a Premier League side which is full of quality and they have some wonderful players. We are under no illusions as to how difficult the game will be. We are just glad it is a home tie and they should bring a few so there should be a good atmosphere."

And while Duff has been singled out, the Barnsley boss is also aware of the threat of former Tyke Craig Hignett if he plays.

The midfielder has been linked with a move back to Oakwell recently but Parkin said nothing had happened.

"I think when I first came here we enquired about taking him on loan but we were told he wasn't available on loan so that was that.

"I have just been concentrating on the job in hand since then," admitted Parkin, who took over at then struggling Barnsley in November and has since guided them out of the bottom three.

They are currently on a seven game unbeaten run which also won him the First Division Manager of the Month for December.

"We know Craig is a favourite here but we will just be concentrating on ourselves."

But he has given a sigh of relief to the fact Rovers' record £7.5m signing Cole will not be on the pitch because he wasn't registered in time.

"I am personally delighted he is not playing but for the supporters it would have been nice for him to come to Oakwell and nice for him to play. It would have been an opportunity for everybody to see him but for us, I am quite glad.

"But saying that whoever they put in will be top class.

"We have had them watched over the last couple of weeks and even though they haven't got the results Graeme Souness has said the reason they signed Andrew Cole was that they were more than matching sides and weren't getting their just rewards with the goals - they will probably get that with him now."

While Parkin has been running the rule over Rovers, he is confident his own side could spring a few surprises.

Since he joined Oakwell, he has signed Gary Jones, a midfielder from Rochdale who is suspended for tomorrow's game, and midfielder Chris Lumsdon from Sunderland for £350,000.

But he has been most impressed with former England Under 21 striker Mike Sheron, who has got seven goals so far this season - six in the last seven games.

"He is scoring goals for fun at the moment," said Parkin of his frontman who will turn 30 next week.

"I think he will do well even against a Premiership back four but to be honest we work hard as a team. I think that has been the secret. We have been matching teams physically and been getting results."

And he is hoping there is a strong referee in charge - as he felt his side were robbed to an extent when he last encountered Rovers.

That was as boss of Rochdale last season in the Worthington Cup where they lost 7-2 on aggregate - after forcing a 1-1 draw at Spotland.

"We were 1-1 at Ewood after Clive Platt had scored to get us back in it and then the referee awarded what I felt was a controversial penalty one minute before the break. The foul was well outside the area as the video showed.

"After that we fell apart and Rovers' class told in the end. They steam-rolled us in the end but the decision cost us and I hope nothing like that happens again.

"I don't think that match has told me anything about Blackburn I didn't know. You can't legislate for referee's decisions and that is where I felt we missed out."

But he is enjoying his life at Barnsley - and victory over Rovers will go a long way to building on his hero status in South Yorkshire.