The Bees are back on home soil for Saturday’s early kick-off, hosting Cheltenham Town in this season’s Valentine’s Day fixture.
Dean Brennan’s side made it five games unbeaten with an impressive 3-1 victory over Walsall on Saturday at the Bescot Stadium in a rainy 90 minutes in the West Midlands.
A goal from Adam Senior before the break was added to early in the second-half by Idris Kanu who found the back of the net for the first time this campaign.
Walsall closed the gap through Daniel Kanu, but the Bees’ two-goal lead was soon restored by Kabongo Tshimanga, who has now scored four in his first five games in black and amber.
Barnet’s last five results:
Walsall 1-3 Barnet FC
Barnet FC 1-1 Crewe Alexandra
Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Barnet FC
Barnet FC 1-0 Tranmere Rovers
Barnet FC 3-2 Oldham Athletic
Cheltenham Town:
The Robins sit 18th in the league heading into tomorrow’s game at The Hive and have lost their last four league outings, with their most recent win coming on Sunday 4th January at home to Crawley who sit below them in the division.
Steve Cotterill’s side sit 21st in the form table heading into tomorrow’s tie and have only won two of their last five away meetings.
Their last outing was on home soil against promotion-chasing MK Dons, with the Buckinghamshire outfit edging the hosts 3-2.
Cheltenham found themselves two goals behind, with their visitors striking twice in five minutes late on in the first-half, but a goal in added time before the break from Jack Bickerstaff from outside the area closed the deficit.
MK Dons increased their two-goal cushion after the hour mark through Marvin Ekpiteta, who finished from close-range following a corner, before Isaac Hutchinson struck for the Robins with three minutes of normal time remaining in the game.
Cheltenham had one chance following their second goal to try and salvage a point, but George Miller directed his header too high from the middle of the box.
Cheltenham Town’s last five results:
Cheltenham Town 2-3 MK Dons
Accrington Stanley 3-1 Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town 0-2 Grimsby Town
Oldham Athletic 2-1 Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town 0-2 Leicester City (FA Cup R3)
In the opposition dugout:
Steve Cotterill returned to the Robins’ dugout in September after the Gloucestershire side won only one of their first seven games of the 2025/26 campaign.
His first stint in the technical area at Whaddon Road fell between 1997 and 2002, in which he had a very successful tenure during the five-year spell, taking the team from the Southern Football League Premier Division in non-league to the second division.
The 61-year-old also won the FA Trophy with the club in 1998 and following his return, added ten points to the board in his first four matches in charge.
The Bees faced Cotterill’s Forest Green Rovers last season, with the Robins’ boss full of praise for the journey Dean Brennan has been on with Barnet over recent years.
There have been several additions to the Cheltenham squad for the remainder of the season, most notably in the midfield and attacking areas. Wrexham loanees Mo Faal and Harry Ashfield have been added to the Robins’ ranks, while midfielder Cole Deeming has joined on loan from Championship side West Bromwich Albion.
Full-back George Nurse has also been bought in on a permanent deal after departing fellow League Two side Shrewsbury Town.
One to watch:
Isacc Hutchinson will be one to watch tomorrow as the club’s top goalscorer with seven goals.
The midfielder joined from Bristol Rovers at the start of the 2025/6 campaign and was recalled by the Rovers last month and appeared in three games before returning to the Robins after falling out of favour with Steve Evans bringing in reinforcements in his position.
Hutchinson has already scored since making the move back to Gloucestershire last month, with his creativity and versatility playing a key role in the middle of the pitch as Cheltenham look to climb the table.
His threat in front of goal makes him a crucial name on Coterill’s teamsheet, having only missed two games in the first-half of the campaign before his recall from the Rovers.
Last time the two sides met:
The Bees met the Robins very early in the season, with Dean Brennan’s side coming out on top in matchday five of the campaign.
Oli Hawkins’ 62nd-minute strike was the only goalmouth action at Whaddon Road. Our number 12 slotted home from inside the area, assisted by Mark Shelton following a Bees’ corner.
Possession was shared fairly equally that afternoon, with Barnet having a total of 15 shots on goal, with six of those on target, while Cheltenham could only direct one of their 11 attempts in the right direction.
COYB