Barnet return to Underhill tomorrow with the visit of Rotherham United in League Two. Barnet had the disappointment last Saturday of losing 1-0 to Lincoln City in a match where the Bees did create chances and completely dominated in the second half but couldn’t put the ball in the net. Hopefully, tomorrow’s performance will echo that of the 3-1 home win over Cheltenham a fortnight ago as the Bees defend their unbeaten home record against one of the favourites this season for promotion.
Barnet are still without central defender, Darren Dennehy and hand a late fitness test to recent signing from Sutton United, Charlie Taylor, who has a strained muscle. Otherwise, manager, Mark Stimson has no more injury worries and had good news this week that Phil Walsh’s loan from Dagenham had been extended to 9th October.
Rotherham are currently 5th in the League Two table with start striker, Adam Le Fondre seemingly scoring for fun. The former Rochdale striker has already netted six times this season. Like Barnet, the Millers are unbeaten in the league at home having beaten Lincoln City 2-1 on the opening day of the season, Cheltenham an astonishing 6-4 after being 3-1 down at one point and drawing 3-3 with Burton Albion last Saturday after being 3-0 up at half time. The Millers can certainly score goals!!. Away from home though, Rotherham have only scored one goal in three trips; in a 1-0 win at Hereford. They drew 0-0 at Morecambe and lost 1-0, their own league defeat so far, at Shrewsbury.
Rotherham will be without on loan striker, Tom Elliott who has a hamstring injury, but expensive signing, Tom Pope could be in the squad after recovering from a broken metatarsal and defender, Nick Fenton could return too after injury. Millers’ manager, Ronnie Moore is expecting a tough game playing at Barnet, with the slope (!), but feels that his team should win (don’t they all when they play us). However, he is pragmatic enough to say that if they defend against the Bees as they did last Saturday then they will lose.
Barnet’s form has improved quite a bit since the 7-0 drubbing at Crewe and Mark Stimson will be confident that the Bees can get something from tomorrow’s game. It is likely that the side will be unchanged from the one that played at Lincoln and should look like this:
Cole
Devera Leach Uddin Parkes
Holmes Southam Byrne Marshall
Kabba Walsh
It’s clearly going to be a tough game tomorrow but if Barnet can recapture the form that saw them beat Cheltenham then there is no reason why they shouldn’t get at least a point. Barnet Mad is predicting a 2-2 draw.
