Dale Stephens has warned Albion have a fight on their hands to grab a vital first victory in five games.

Barnsley are just as desperate for a win at the wrong end of the table as the play-off chasing Seagulls at Oakwell on Saturday.

Albion are three points adrift of the top six following Stephens’ late equaliser in Tuesday’s 3-3 draw at Blackburn.

A 1-0 win for his former club Charlton at Leeds the same evening has left Barnsley three points adrift of safety at the bottom.

Stephens, involved in the scrap at the bottom with Charlton in the first half of the season, told The Argus: “It will be a very, very tough game.

“They are fighting for their lives. The minimum they will be doing is working very hard to get out of the situation they are in but they can play as well.

“They have picked up with six points from their previous two games so it will be a tough test but one we’ll cherish.”

Barnsley, with former Seagulls Danny Wilson and Chris Hutchings in charge, followed up a 3-1 win atAlbion’s play-off rivals Reading with a 4-1 victory at fellow strugglers Yeovil last Saturday.

Stephens, the January replacement for injured Andrew Crofts, could make his first start against the South Yorkshiremen for three weeks in the centre of midfield after coming off the bench at half-time to nod Albion’s late leveller at Blackburn.