Jamie McAllister is hoping good things really do come in threes.

Forced to miss the Christmas and New Year holiday programme while nursing a troublesome ankle injury, the left-back made a successful return to first-team action in the recent 2-2 draw with Coca-Cola Championship leaders Wolves.

A few days later, his wife presented him with a beautiful baby girl, Amelie, to go with the son they already have.

And now McAllister is hoping for further good fortune in the form of a morale- boosting home win over Barnsley at Ashton Gate this afternoon.

"They say good things come in threes and a win on Saturday would just complete things for me," said McAllister.

"I couldn't be happier in my personal life. My daughter was born last week and she's fine. My wife is also fine and we're incredibly happy."

He added: "I've also fully recovered from injury and I'm looking forward to playing a full part in the rest of the season.

"I don't usually get many injuries and this season has been a bit frustrating for me with one knock coming after another. But that's all behind me now and I'm looking forward.

"The only thing missing right now is us pushing for promotion."

City remain seven points adrift of the play-off positions going into this afternoon's game and McAllister blames a modest return at Ashton Gate for the team's failure to establish a foothold in the upper reaches of English football's second tier this season.

He admitted: "We've simply drawn too many games at home and that's what has cost us. We were incredibly strong at home last season, but we've not been nearly as consistent at Ashton Gate this time around.

"To be honest, we should have won some of those drawn games and, had we done so, we'd now be a lot nearer the play-off positions."

That is not to say McAllister and his team-mates have given up all hope of challenging for a second promotion in three seasons. Manager Gary Johnson has set his players a specific target in the belief that an average of two points per game over the next month can move the Robins back into contention.

"We've talked about what we need to do and we can't afford to wait any longer or allow the gap to grow any bigger," reasoned McAllister.

"People are talking of us finishing mid-table and having nothing much to play for come the business end of the season. But we're not even considering that option.

"Our dressing room is full of players who are used to winning things and we're not used to accepting second best. We've not given up on making the play-offs and we're going to give it our very best shot between now and the end of the season."

Back-to-back home games against the Tykes and Charlton, on Tuesday, offer City an opportunity to move into the top half of the table and achieve closer proximity to the play-off contenders.

McAllister points to a series of contests against teams currently lodged in the lower reaches of the Championship as cause for optimism.

He confided: "Over the next month we have five or so games against teams near the bottom and that could be significant.

"We're always positive and we're looking upon that group of games as an opportunity.

"If we can capitalise on two home games in four days, take maximum points and gather momentum, the whole picture will change for the better for us. We know what we have to do."