BRISTOL City boss Gary Johnson has warned his in-form team they must earn the right to play their best football at Barnsley tomorrow.

Desperate to escape the Coca-Cola Championship relegation zone, the Tykes will throw everything they have at City in a bid to stage a repeat of last season's 3-0 demolition at Oakwell.

And Bristol City manager Johnson insists his players must be prepared to meet fire with fire if they want to build upon back-to-back wins over Norwich and Charlton and retain their position among the play-off places.

"We know exactly what to expect and I'll remind the lads before the game," said Johnson. Our reports tells us that Barnsley are a decent side at home and we all remember how they outplayed us at their place last season,"

"We're going to have to go there and put in a very good performance, or we're going to get beaten.

"You have to earn the right to play and that means working very hard for the first 45 minutes. Only that way do you earn the right to play the way we did against Charlton on Tuesday."

Bristol City weathered an early storm at The Valley before going on to to score twice and dominate the game. And Johnson believes something similar will be required if the Robins are not to return empty-handed from Yorkshire.

He argued: "Every team that goes away is going to come under pressure at some stage and you have to be able to deal with that.

"The statistics show that more games are lost away from home and we don't know what it is that makes teams less effective on the road.

"You can stay in a really nice hotel for a couple of nights, eat the best food available and still lose, or you can travel on the day, stay in a terrible hotel, eat bad food, get stomach ache and win.

"What I do know is that we need to be more potent in the opening half an hour. We have to come out and be a little more aggressive and produce more running and win more tackles and more headers.

"We know what home teams are going to do and you can work in training on ways to stop it. But at the end of the day it's up to individuals to go out there and get a grip on their immediate opponent and for the group to get a grip on the game as early as possible."

Lee Trundle's opening goal altered the complexion of Tuesday's game at The Valley and Bristol City boss Johnson believes the first goal will prove crucial against Barnsley.

He reasoned: "The first goal is vital. We saw on Tuesday how it can change the game and it's demoralising for the opposition if you get it.

"We scored first at Charlton, they lost their spirit and our lads felt like Roy of the Rovers."

Right-back Bradley Orr serves a one-match suspension after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season in last weekend's 1-0 win over Norwich, and Johnson must make an enforced change in defence.

Brian Wilson is the most likely option, although the manager could turn to Cole Skuse or adopt a 3-5-2 formation and pack the midfield.

Bristol City are again without centre-back and skipper Louis Carey, who is still recovering from a swollen toe, and striker Steve Brooker (Achilles).

Controversial referee Rob Styles will take charge of City's home clash with Sheffield United at Ashton Gate on Tuesday.

Styles has been relegated to the Championship following his televised blunders in Monday's 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw between Newcastle United and Manchester City.

He came under fire for awarding a dubious penalty against the Magpies and sending off Habib Beye and has been demoted to the role of fourth official for Chelsea's title showdown with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.