BLACKBURN Rovers need to beware an upwardly mobile Barnsley side at Oakwell.

Saturday's FA Cup third round tie promises to be a tough call for Rovers -- the Tykes may be languishing in the bottom half of the table but new boss Steve Parkin has revitalised the Oakwell squad.

While Rovers struggle to find a win at the moment the Tykes are unbeaten in their last six outings, their most recent return a point from a goalless stalemate with Grimsby at Oakwell on New Year's Day.

The next test will be to push Rovers all the way in the cup but Parkin, the man Barnsley wanted as boss after his impressive work at third division Rochdale, will want his side to show a touch more threat in front of goal.

Parkin said: "We were disappointed not to have won the Grimsby game, but we had an awful lot of the ball without creating too many chances.

"We did not use the ball quickly enough or positively enough and did not get enough balls into the box to break their game plan up.

"But you always have to look to take positives out of it and after the games we have had if you said we would have got to 30 points over the holiday period then I think we would have been pleased."

Parkin will be forced to make one change agianst Rovers as Gary Jones, the former Rochdale midfielder who has been a revelation since joining up with his ex-boss last month, is both suspended and cup-tied for the game.

A possible replacement could be Gary McSwegan, who has joined the Tykes on loan from Scottich Premier side Hearts for three months.