After five weeks without a home game due to the troublesome weather conditions we welcome Port Vale to Underhill tomorrow.
We last faced Port Vale on the opening day of the 2012/13 season when we were on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline as Vale showed that they would be a team to watch throughout the season.
They then held onto Gillingham’s coat-tails at the top of the table for a long time but have put their foot firmly on the gas lately and have now purred past Martin Allen’s Gills into pole position.
That this is going to be a tough encounter is an understatement, but we probably felt the same about facing Gillingham on Boxing Day last year and we all remember how that ended.
It will be interesting to see what Barnet fans make of Ibra Sekajja and Harry Crawford.
Sekajja is a winger with speed to burn, although he did play upfront centrally in the game at Burton, he has a few tricks up his sleeve and he can leave a defender or two floundering.
He has got more and more involved as the games have gone by.
Crawford is a forward who likes to play on the last defender and is always looking for an opportunity to have a strike on goal, he reminds me of John O’Flynn in that regard.
He has only had two cameo roles so far but his first touch at Burton almost levelled the scores and at Bristol Rovers he did exactly that when he latched onto a loose ball in the box, he looks to have goals in him.
Tomorrow will be difficult but you get the feeling that the players are looking forward to the special challenge that comes when you face the team that is topping the table.
The match programme includes the thoughts of Graham Stack and Paul Fairclough who talks about his frustrations dealing with agents during the recent “transfer window”.
Reckless reviews the career of Lee Harrison and there is a detailed analysis of our visitors.
There are also photo-spreads of the games at Burton Albion and Bristol Rovers as well as shots of Brazil after they trained at The Hive.
Reckless also plots a route to York that might get you there with this issue featuring enough statistics to impress the ONS.
Much more is also included within your perfect accompaniment to watching Barnet v Port Vale, says the not very impartial Programme Editor.
If you are unable to be there in person Karl Bates assisted by David Bloomfield will form the team that via the BarnetPlayer service that will bring you full match commentary from 2.55pm.
