On Saturday, the Bees travel to Grimsby Town, with both sides having started the season badly. The Bees, of course have just 1 point from 7 matches, while Grimsby, who have just sacked manager, Alan Buckley have 3 points from 7 games and are a place above Barnet in the League Two table. A win for the Bees would take them above Grimsby, but it has to be said that optimism will not be high among the Barnet faithful. Since returning to the football league in 2005, Barnet have a dreadful record against Grimsby, not having gained a single point from any of the 6 matches between the two sides.
This 'hoodoo' all started in August 2005, with Barnet sitting proudly on the top of League 2 with 10 points from 4 games, Grimsby came to Underhill and stole a 1-0 victory courtesy of a rather freakish header early in the second half by substitute, Calvin Andrew.
Barnet: Tynan, Hendon (Batt 81), King, Charles, Gross (Roache 86), Strevens (Hatch 66), Bailey, Lee, Sinclair, Graham, Grazioli.
Grimsby: Mildenhall, Whittle, Ramsden (Croft 73), R.Jones, McDermott, Kalala, Bolland, Parkinson, Newey (Andrew 45), Reddy (Gritton 45), Gary Jones.
In March of 2006, Barnet travelled to Grimsby and went down 3-0, with Jones scoring twice and Bolland once for the Mariners.
Grimsby: Mildenhall, McDermott, Futcher, Whittle, Newey, Cohen, Bolland (Kalala 69), Woodhouse, Toner, Reddy (Mendes 29), Gary Jones.
Barnet: Reed, Clist (Batt 60), Yakubu, Charles, King, Strevens, Hessenthaler, Sinclair, Bailey, Norville (Hatch 61), Grazioli (Soares 61).
The following season, 2006/07, the two sides met in December with Barnet fresh on the heels of a tremendous 4-1 FA Cup win over Northampton Town the previous Saturday, Barnet gave a disappointing display as they went down 1-0 at home to Grimsby, for whom Martin Patterson scored.
Barnet: Harrison, Devera, King, Yakubu, Gross (Vieira 68), Cogan (Graham 69), Sinclair, Bailey, Puncheon, Birchall, Hatch (Warhurst 83).
Grimsby: Barnes, Croft, Fenton, Whittle, Newey, Till, Pulis, Hegarty, Ravenhill, Gary Jones, Paterson.
In April 2007, Barnet were thrashed 5-0 away at Grimsby Town as the season neared the end with Danny North getting a hat trick and Gary Jones and Nick Fenton scoring one each.
Grimsby: Barnes, McDermott (Bloomer 73), Bennett, Fenton, Newey, Till (Taylor 78), Bolland, Boshell, Toner (Hegarty35), Gary Jones, North.
Barnet: Harrison, Warhurst, Devera (Ioannou 83), Nicolau, King, Bailey, Cogan, Sinclair, Puncheon, Birchall, Hatch (Vieira 64).
Last season, with Barnet going well in League Two and unbeaten in 8 league matches, Grimsby came to Underhill, in November, and won comfortably, 3-0. It seemed that Barnet could not even score against Grimsby, let alone get any points. It was Grimsby's first away league win in 9 matches. Danny North scored twice for the Mariners with Andy Taylor scoring the third after coming on as a substitute.
Barnet: Harrison, Devera (Nicolau 70), Burton, Yakubu (O'Cearuill 45), Gillet, Leary (Carew 51), Bishop, Wright, Puncheon, Hatch, Birchall.
Grimsby: Montgomery, Atkinson, Bennett, Fenton, Newey, Till (Bore 45), Hird, Hunt, Toner, North (Taylor 66), Gary Jones, (Rankin 90).
In March 2008, Barnet travelled to Grimsby, on a poor run of just 1 win in 8 league games and lost 4-1 to make it 6 defeats out of 6 matches against Grimsby. Finally, though, Barnet scored a goal against the Mariners, Cliff Akurang scoring after 80 minutes from a Nicky Nicolau cross. Hegarty, Butler, Bolland and Taylor scored for Grimsby.
Grimsby: Barnes, Atkinson, Fenton, Newey, Bennett, Hegarty, Bolland, Clarke, Boshell (Till 77), Jones (Taylor 72), Butler (Bore 87).
Barnet: Harrison, Devera, Yakubu, Burton, Nicolau (Thomas 82), St Aimie (Carew 69), Bishop, Wright, Adomah, Grazioli, Akurang.
Barnet's record against Grimsby now reads, P6 W0 D0 L6 F1 A17 PTS 0.