Barnet entertain Bury tomorrow at Underhill needing to desperately put last Saturday’s 7-0 hammering at Crewe behind them. The Bees need something to kick start their season after the usual poor start to the season. Since 2005, when the Bees were promoted to League Two, Barnet have only taken more than a single point from the first three league matches in two seasons; 2005/06 and last season. One positive from this is that in both those seasons, the Bees were in danger of being relegated on the final day of the season!!
Barnet played a behind doors friendly at Dagenham & Redbridge during the week. The match finished 3-2 to the Daggers with Barnet fielding 7 trialists including an unnamed striker who scored one of the Barnet goals. Steve Kabba is still missing, with no firm date set yet for his return. If Mark Stimson is going to play two up front he will have to choose between on loan, Phil Walsh and Danny Kelly to play alongside Ricky Holmes.
One positive is that Joe Devera looks likely to be fit for tomorrow’s game and should return at right back. One thing for sure is that Stimson must not play defenders out of position as he has recently. In pre-season, Jordan Parkes has looked excellent at left back and provided extra width on the left, combining well with Poole and putting some fine crosses over. He doesn't seem to have looked quite the same on the right. Daniel Leach is not a left back and shouldn't be played there even if Devera is injured. Stimson should play Sam Cox, or even Mark Hughes, on the right as a straight substitute for Devera leaving Parkes on the left.
Rossi Jarvis could return in midfield where he could be the player get the ball into space for Mark Marshall to run onto with his space and create problems for the visiting defence. In pre-season, Jarvis was instrumental in doing just this and it’s surprising that he was dropped after the Chesterfield game, when it was generally agreed that the Bees played quite well and were unlucky to lose. Mark Hughes has looked like a fish out of water so far this term and many fans would like to see Jarvis back in the side, with either Poole, if he is passed fit for the game, or Byrne left out to make way for an extra striker alongside Holmes, either Walsh or Kelly.
Thus the team line up could look something like this:
Cole
Devera (or Cox) Uddin Dennehy Parkes
Jarvis
Southam Poole (or Byrne)
Marshall Walsh (or Kelly) Holmes
Bury have made an average start to the league season, losing at home to Port Vale on the opening day, before winning 2-1 at newly promoted Oxford United. Last Saturday, they were held 1-1 at home by Northampton and the Shakers are currently 11th. Striker, Andy Bishop is doubtful and experienced defender, Efe Sodje may also miss the game.
After last Saturday, Barnet Mad is loath to make any predictions about the game tomorrow, but we are just hoping that the Bees can gain the first three points of the season, though it could well be another draw.
