Barnet entertain Burton Albion at Underhill today. Last Saturday’s win away at Darlington, gave the Bees three welcome points. After losing 10 successive away league matches, the Bees have now taken 7 points in the last 4 away matches, having won twice.
In spite of the fact that Barnet’s current form is inconsistent, it does appear that Ian Hendon has managed to stop the team’s apparent freefall that followed the 3-0 home win over Darlington at the end of October. After that win, Barnet took just 6 points from the following 13 matches as the Bees plummeted down the League Two table.
The win at home to Aldershot early last month was their first win in over 3 months and Barnet have now taken 12 points from the last 9 months. As long as the Bees continue in that vein, they should have no problems concerning relegation. The club’s away form has come at an appropriate time as Barnet’s home form remains poor with just two draws and one defeat since that win over Aldershot.
Barnet’s improved form has coincided with a return to goalscoring form for John O’Flynn who has scored six goals since turning down a move to Shrewsbury at the end of January. He now has 16 goals for the season. O’Flynn has suffered this season from the lack of an effective strike partner and it will be interesting to see if Hendon gives Peterborough loanee, Ben Wright, who scored in a friendly at Reading yesterday, his first league start for the Bees alongside O’Flynn, particularly as Jake Hyde got a knock at Reading.
However, Barnet’s other loan signing, Ed Upson, is likely to start on the bench again. The Ipswich midfield player has yet to start for the Bees and with David Livermore scoring at Darlington, the midfield is unlikely to be changed. Barnet’s improved form has coincided with Livermore’s arrival from Brighton. The former Millwall player has added some steel to the Barnet midfield and it is arguable that had he played against Accrington a fortnight ago, the Bees may not have capitulated in the way they did against Accrington’s 10 men in the second half.
Barnet’s win at Darlington took the Bees up one place to 18th, six places and 12 points behind Burton, who have done surprisingly well in their first season in league football after winning promotion from the Blue Square Premier last season. After stumbling somewhat over the finish line, under Roy McFarland, last season following the departure of long time manager, Nigel Clough to Derby County, new boss, Canadian Paul Peschisolido has brought the Brewers to within five points of the play-offs.
Burton had a fine victory in midweek at Accrington in midweek, winning 2-0, but their form has been quite topsy turvy of late with Tuesday’s win preceded by a draw at home to Chesterfield and loosing a 5-3 lead at home to Cheltenham Town late in the game and eventually going down 5-6 in a quite astonishing match. Burton’s away form has been good, their win at the Crown Ground, their seventh of the season, matching the number of away defeats. Their home form has somewhat let them down as they have lost seven at home and they can be a difficult side to pin down as one doesn’t always know which Burton side is going to turn up on the day.
Barnet have striker, Paul Furlong back in contention for a place after recovering from an eye injury sustained at Port Vale and are only missing Ismail Yakubu. Barnet are hoping to get international clearance for 22 year old attacking midfielder, Chris James. James is an England under 19 international, who was born in New Zealand and who has chosen to play for his birth country and is hoping to gain a place in the New Zealand squad for South Africa. He has played for Fulham and Finnish First Division club, Tampere United and has represented New Zealand on 16 occasions and was included in the Kiwis’ squad for the FIFA Confederation Cup squad in South Africa last year.
Burton Albion will be without Jacques Maghoma, but have former Scarborough winger, Keith Gilroy back after suspension and could include former Bee, Greg Pearson in the starting line up. Pearson was at Barnet in 2004, on loan from West Ham, and played a part in the Bees reaching the Conference play-offs that year.
This is a difficult match to pin down as both sides are very inconsistent. One thing is for sure, Barnet will have to do a lot better than they did with their abject performance in the second half against Accrington in their last home match. Burton have been a surprise package this year and the Bees may well have to settle for a point today as they push towards safety. Barnet Mad is going for a 2-2 draw.
