Daniel Stendel did not reach for a tactical explanation after Barnsley edged Blackpool 2-1 in League One. The Barnsley head coach went straight for the intangible: mentality and belief. It was, he suggested, those qualities that made the difference when the game got difficult.

A win that had to be earned

There is a temptation, when a side wins narrowly at home, to dress it up as a controlled performance. Stendel did not bother with that. His framing after the final whistle was that Barnsley had to dig in, had to find something beyond the purely mechanical, and that the group had managed it. The 2-1 scoreline tells you as much; Blackpool had enough of the contest to make things uncomfortable at some point, and Barnsley still came out with three points.

That matters in the context of where Barnsley currently sit. A home win keeps them ticking over in the early-season table, and three points against a Blackpool side that have shown they can be competitive this term is not a nothing result. It is the sort of win that can quietly shape how a squad starts to see itself.

Stendel's project, game by game

Stendel has been consistent throughout the opening weeks in asking for patience. He has spoken publicly about the ongoing work to bring in players and about the need for the squad to adapt to his methods. Sam Gale, speaking earlier in the week, touched on how that process of adaptation is playing out day to day. Winning in those circumstances, when the group is still finding its shape and its habits, is not straightforward.

Credit, too, to the players for delivering a result under those conditions. A squad that is still integrating new arrivals and adjusting to a manager's demands could easily use that as a reason not to perform. Barnsley did not. Whether that is a sign of character in the group, or simply a good day at the office, four games is four games, and it is far too early to draw firm conclusions. What Stendel will know is that his side responded when it was needed.

What it means for Blackpool

For Blackpool, this adds another entry in what has been a mixed start. Ian Evatt's side have shown they can execute a gameplan, as they did at Stockport, but results like this one underline that consistency is still the challenge. Losing narrowly away from home to a side with promotion ambitions is not a catastrophe, but it is a gap in the points tally that they will need to make up somewhere else.

The two clubs are likely to be in and around each other in the third-tier table for much of the campaign. Both have made additions in the transfer window; both are still settling. A single goal separated them on the day, which is probably a fair summary of where the sides are relative to each other right now.

The next steps

Stendel will be encouraged. The manner of the win, grinding it out rather than strolling to three points, is precisely the kind of evidence he can use when he talks to his players about what this group is capable of. Belief, as he put it, is easier to talk about when you have just demonstrated it in front of your own supporters.

Whether Barnsley can sustain that mentality over forty-six League One fixtures is the proper question. Right now, they have given themselves a platform to build from. That is all any manager can ask of his side in September.

Frequently asked

What was the score in Barnsley vs Blackpool?
Barnsley beat Blackpool 2-1 in a League One match, with Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel crediting his side's mentality and belief for the win.
What did Daniel Stendel say after Barnsley beat Blackpool?
Stendel said it was the mentality and belief of his players that made the difference in Barnsley's 2-1 League One victory over Blackpool.
Where do Barnsley stand in League One after beating Blackpool?
The 2-1 win over Blackpool added three points to Barnsley's League One tally, keeping them in contention in the early-season standings under Daniel Stendel.