Barnet travel tonight to the midlands to play Port Vale in a League Two match after gaining a useful point at Macclesfield on Saturday. The Bees’ 1-1 draw at Moss Rose gave Paul Fairclough’s side 5 points from the last three matches including four from 2 away games, an unlikely return following such dreadful away from under Mark Stimson.
Barnet are likely to keep the side that played at Macclesfield in a game that sees new signing Tommy Fraser make a very quick return to Vale Park. The news Bees’ midfield player had a promising debut at Moss Rose. Charlie Taylor apparently missed the Macclesfield match with a cold but could return to the bench tonight. Likely to remain on the bench is Wolves loanee, John Dunleavy who has yet to play for the Bees.
Port Vale’s prolific scorer, Marc Richards is out with a thigh injury as is midfield player, Doug Loft. Rob Taylor and Sean Rigg will have late tests, but there is likely to be a debut for new loan signing from Peterborough, the exotically named, Exodus Geohaghon. Central defender, Gareth Owen misses tonight’s match through suspension after being sent off last Saturday.
Vale are strong contenders for promotion to League Two this season, currently occupying 5th place, but their league form has fallen away since the departure of manager, Micky Adams to Sheffield United and they have lost five of their last six league games. Certainly, Barnet could not have chosen to play them at a better time, but Vale have only lost twice at home in the league this season. On Saturday, they lost 1-0 at home to Cheltenham Town. Bees’ manager, Paul Fairclough has said that he is ‘optimistic’ about tonight’s game.
Saturday’s draw saw the Bees move above Stockport County into 21st place, but the winners were Lincoln City who remained bottom after winning 4-3 at Edgeley Park, but they are only two points behind Barnet and have four games in hand. Lincoln travel to promotion hopefuls, Cheltenham tonight while fellow strugglers, Hereford United, who have sold their star striker, Mathieu Manset to Reading, are at home to Morecambe. Macclesfield, who are 19th, travel to Southend United, Barnet’s opponents on Saturday
Barnet’s team tonight could well look like this;
O’Brien
Kamdjo Devera Uddin Parkes
Hughes Southam Jarvis Fraser Marshall
McLeod