But Reds head coach Neill Collins was insistent that his side would be keeping their cool despite moving within three points of their rivals.
Sonny Bradley put Derby ahead, but Phillips’ brace either side of the interval gave Barnsley a valuable win.
Collins said: “The scenes at the end. The fans were excellent and the players were happy, but no-one was getting carried away.
“I think the players have been extremely professional and consistent over the season. Because of the big crowd, playing against a big club and where we are in the league, but I won’t have anyone saying we’ve got carried away.
“We enjoy it like any other victory and we get ready again because we’re in a promotion race and we all know that promotion races are over a long period of time and we need that keep that level up.
This story is from the February 25, 2024 edition of The Football League Paper.
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This story is from the February 25, 2024 edition of The Football League Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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