This afternoon, the Bees entertain Accrington Stanley desperately needing a win if they are going to start moving away from the relegation zone. If this sounds a familiar scenario this season well we have certainly been here before. Many fans thought that the 4-1 win over Northampton Town last month would be the catalyst for a good league run but defeats against Gillingham and Oxford United have dampened spirits down again somewhat and Barnet are second from bottom, two pints adrift from Morecambe, the current occupants of 22nd place.
Barnet manager, Mark Stimson remains very much under pressure from the home fans who are far from convinced that he will have the ability, or the team, to take the side to safety this season
Such is the tightness of the league this season that Accrington, looking relatively secure in 14th place are just 5 points above the Bees and a win for the home side tomorrow would reduce that to just two. Apart from next Saturday’s trip to high flying, Port Vale, Barnet have four eminently winnable games coming up starting tomorrow and including the holiday matches against Southend (away) and two home games against Stockport County and Aldershot.
Stimson has announced that Steve Kabba and Izale McLeod will start tomorrow’s game as the strike partnership for the Bees and there is no doubt that if they click they could form a very formidable and dangerous partnership. Hopefully, there will be time for them to build up a good partnership that will bring the goals that the Bees have, for the most part, been sadly lacking so far this season.
The Bees continue to miss on loan midfield player, Mark Byrne who has returned to Nottingham Forest for treatment for his knee injury. Byrne’s loan deal runs out in January and it will be hoped that a new loan deal for the rest of the season can be agreed between the two clubs. Barnet manager, Stimson will be keen to try and keep on loan Norwich utility player, George Francomb at Underhill for as long as possible too as the full back turned midfield player continues to impress.
Many Barnet fans have been concerned at Stimson continuing to select out of form Mark Hughes and Joe Devera, particularly when the likes of Sam Cox and Rossi Jarvis have impressed when given the chance. The lack of faith in Jarvis seems particularly surprising considering that Stimson made quite a fuss of Jarvis on his arrival at Underhill, promising that the fans would love his (Jarvis) style of play. Since the pre-season friendlies, he like Cox and defender, Clovis Kamdjo, likened by Stimson, to a young Linvoy Primus, have been largely out in the cold.
Accrington have yet to win away this season, like the Bees, but have drawn seven out of 10 away games in the league so they will not be an easy touch. Barnet badly need a win today and what better way to go into the Christmas period than with three points in the bag. Barnet Mad’s choice of barnet side tomorrow would be:
Cole
Francomb Kamdjo Basey Parkes
Jarvis Cox Southam Marshall
Kabba McLeod
