Barnet take on Torquay United at Underhill tomorrow afternoon needing to start winning matches instead of drawing them. Under Paul Fairclough, the Bees have lost just one of their last six matches, But have drawn four of them and need to start getting three points in games if they are to start moving up the table and get away from the bottom of the table. Burton Albion’s 1-0 home win tonight over leaders, Chesterfield takes them above the Bees in the table and means that Barnet are back in the bottom two again, but it was always going to be the case that the Brewers would lift themselves out of the relegation zone as they still have up to 7 games in hand on rival clubs.
Barnet and Stockport have played more games than the teams around them and at the moment look the most obvious candidates for relegation to the Blue Square Premier. However, at this stage of the season it can be all about form and if the Bees were able to put together a run of two or three consecutive wins the league table could look very different. Other teams in the bottom half of the table are having poor runs at the moment such as Bradford City with just a single point from their last 6 matches and Macclesfield Town with just 3 points from their last 9 games so nothing is certain at this stage and there is often one side seemingly safe that goes into freefall at about this time that ends up either going down or just staying up; Barnet last season being a case in point.
Paul Fairclough has brought in two new midfield players on loan this week; Anthony Pulis, the son of Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, from Southampton and Sam Deering from Oxford United. Paul Fairclough announced on the club’s official website that both players would be in the starting line up for tomorrow’s game as the Bees’ caretaker boss looks for a more creative midfield that will hopefully provide Steve Kabba and Izale McLeod with more ammunition than has been the case recently. Recent performances have seen a marked improvement in defence but goals have also, unfortunately, dried up.
Torquay United are currently placed 12th, 10 points above Barnet but could face a points’ deduction from the Football league after claims that they played an ineligible player, Jake Robinson, in the recent away game at Hereford United. Robinson’s loan deal from Shrewsbury Town was not registered before the January transfer window deadline. Ironically, Hereford, who won the game, have been charged with a similar offence regarding the registration of Rob Purdie.
Jake Robinson is likely to play tomorrow, not long after appearing for Shrewsbury at Underhill in the recent 1-1 draw between the two clubs. He is likely to partner former Accrington striker, Billy Kee up front while new loan signing, Ryan Gilligan, from Northampton, could make his debut in midfield. Torquay’s leading scorer this season, Elliott Benyon, joined Swindon in January.
Liam O’Brien and Charlie Taylor are doubtful for tomorrow’s game with knocks picked up at Hadley in midweek and, of course, Daniel Leach and Darren Dennehy are still out with long term injuries. Paul Fairclough must choose who will play alongside Pulis and Deering in midfield with Glen Southam, Mark Hughes and Tommy Fraser battling it out for one midfield place. Tomorrow’s starting line up could look like this:
Cole
Kamdjo Devera Uddin Parkes
Hughes Pulis Deering Marshall
Kabba McLeod