Barnet entertain Burton Albion tomorrow afternoon in the Bees’ first home League Two match of the season. Following the Bees’ exit from the Carling Cup, on Tuesday, at the hands of Swansea and the defeat at Chesterfield last Saturday, Mark Stimson’s side will be keen to get some kind of result at Underhill this weekend, preferably a win.
There is still a great deal of uncertainty about how long Steve Kabba will be out of action after his injury last Saturday and Mark Stimson has acted quickly to bring in Dagenham & Redbridge striker, Phil Walsh on a month’s loan. The 26 year old, 6ft3” striker goes straight into the Barnet squad to face Burton.
Walsh began his career in the lower end of non-league football, playing for Almondsbury Town, Taunton and Cleveden before joining Bath City in 2005 and scored 15 goals in 87 appearances during his three year stay at Bath, also playing on loan for Paulton Rovers and Tiverton on loan before moving to Newport County. He scored one goal in nine outings for the Welsh club before moving to Tiverton in 2009 after another loan spell for the Devon club. In March of that year he joined Blue Square South club, Dorchester Town and scored 5 goals in 30 matches before joining Dagenham & Redbridge last February, making 9 first team appearances for the Daggers.
Walsh is likely to make his debut for the Bees against Burton, either alongside Ricky Holmes or up front as a target man with a five man midfield. Joe Devera, who missed the Swansea game is rated 50/50 for tomorrow’s game. If he doesn’t play, Sam Cox could continue at right back. Jordan Parkes is likely to return at left back, but Stimson will have to decide on who is going to partner Anwar Uddin in the centre of defence, with Darren Dennehy, Daniel Leach and Clovis Kamdjo all in contention, while 17 year old, Reece Yorke is also available after injury.
In midfield, Stimson must decide on whether to continue with Mark Hughes, who came in against Swansea, or bring back Rossi Jarvis into midfield. Alternatively, if Barnet play with two players up front, neither may play, if Stimson decides to go with both wide men, Mark Marshall and Glenn Poole.
Burton played a goalless draw at home to newly promoted Oxford last Saturday and, like the Bees, they went out of the Carling Cup to a Welsh side; losing 4-1 at Cardiff City after extra time. Defenders, Darren Moore and Andy Corbett both face fitness tests for the match at Underhill.
Barnet have played well in the opening two matches and have created some good chances without having got a good result yet, but with an almost totally new look side, it will take time for the team to gell. The loss of Steve Kabba to injury has been a blow, but Barnet could well gain their first win of the season tomorrow against Burton, it what could be a low scoring match. Barnet Mad is going for a 1-0 home in for the Bees.