Introduction
• Barnet Football Club travel to Burton Albion hoping to do the double over the Brewers following a 3-2 win at Underhill in December.
• The Bees are currently enjoying their best form of the season having taken 13 points from their last six games in Npower League Two.
• Harry Crawford could make his Barnet debut after he joined the club on a three-year deal from Dartford on Thursday.
• The Brewers sit seventh in League Two, which is a testament to their home form considering they have not won on the road since November.
• Last season’s visit to the Pirelli Stadium was not one for the faint hearted as Mark Hughes’ 60th minute winner saw the Bees escape the drop at the expense of Hereford United.
Team News
Barnet Football Club
• Andy Iro is expected to continue alongside David Stephens after recovering from a head injury against Rotherham United.
• Edgar Davids is also likely to start after making his comeback from injury in the 2-0 win over the Millers.
• Ishmail Kamara has returned to full training and is regaining fitness.
• Colins John is progressing well and should be back to full contact training once the bad weather has cleared up.
The Opposition
• Burton hope to have defensive duo Zander Diamond and Anthony O’Conner back after both missed the FA Cup third-round defeat to Leicester City.
• Burton Albion signed defender Ian Sharps on loan from Rotherham United on Monday and the 32-year-old could make his debut on Saturday.
• Sharps will be hoping for a better afternoon than last time he faced the Bees however after being part of the Rotherham side who lost 2-0 to Barnet two-weeks ago.
• The Staffordshire based club have been at the Pirelli Stadium for seven years after moving from Eton Park in 2005.
Last Time Out
12 January 2013
Npower League Two
Rotherham United 0-2 Barnet
Barnet: Stack, Fuller, Johnson, Stephens, Iro (Kamdjo 35), Bryne, Holmes, Weston, Davids (Yiadom 68), Hyde (Atieno 72), Sekajja.
Subs not used: Cowler, Brown, Oster, Holwijn.
Goals: Hyde 21, Yiadom 82.
19 January 2013
Npower League Two
Northampton 1-0 Burton Albion
Burton Albion: Lyness, Webster, Stanton, Diamond, O’Connor, Weir, McCrory, Maghoma (Phillips 77), Bell (Kee 73), Drury, Zola (Paterson 88).
Subs not used: Tomlinson, Holness, McGrath, Dyer.
Goals: n/a
Previous meeting
21 December 2012 – Barnet FC 3-2 Burton Albion
• Barnet moved off the bottom of League to after a Ricky Holmes hat-trick inspired them to a 3-2 win over Burton Albion. The away side took the lead via Billy Key’s penalty but Holmes made it 1-1 with just two minutes to go before the break. Shortly after the break the Bees were awarded a penalty of their own which was duly despatched by Homes to make it 2-1. The winger completed his hat-trick after 66 minutes before Jacques Maghoma converted the game’s third penalty kick.
Barnet Football Club: Stack, Fuller, Kamdjo (Oster 46), Johnson, Stephens, Iro, Bryne, Yiadom, Davids (Weston 70), Holmes (Nurse 88), Hyde.
Subs not used: Cowler, Brown, Fortune, Barker.
Goal: Holmes 42, 53, 66.
Burton Albion: Lyness, Diamond, O’Connor, Holness, Taylor, Weir, McCory, Maghoma, Dyer, Zola, Kee (Richards 70).
Subs not used: Atkins, Webster, Stanton, McGrath, Palmer, Paterson.
Goal: Kee 16 (pen), Maghoma 88.
Background
• Barnet have faced Burton Albion just 15 times but they hold the edge with seven wins to the Brewers three.
• There have been 22 goals in the last four meetings between the two sides so fans travelling to Pirelli Stadium could be in for a treat.
• On 5 May 2012 the Bees secured their League Two status with a 1-2 win over Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium.
• A Mark Hughes winner in the 60th minute meant that despite a 3-2 win over Torquay United, Hereford United were relegated.
• The season before also saw Barnet victorious at the Pirelli when four second-half goals from Steve Kabba gave the Bees a 4-1 win over the Brewers.
Last six meetings (Npower League Two unless stated)
21 December 2012 Barnet 3-2 Burton Albion
5 May 2012 Burton Albion 1-2 Barnet
29 October 2011 Barnet 3-6 Burton Albion
2 April 2011 Burton Albion 1-4 Barnet
14 August Barnet 0-0 Burton Albion
27 March 2010 Barnet 1-1 Burton Albion
Overall record v (all competitions) W 7 D 5 L 3
Referee
• The referee for Saturday’s game is Oliver Langford.
• He started refereeing at the age of 15 in the Midland Combination and the Midland Football Association leagues.
• He was promoted to the National List of Referees at the start of the 2008/09 season, making his debut in a 3-1 win for Rochdale over Barnet.
• Langford has taken control of 23 games so far this season, including Burton Albion’s penalty loss to Coventry in the Johnson’s Paint Trophy.
• During those games he has produced 40 yellow cards and three red.
• Mr Langford will be assisted by Christopher Kavanagh and John Law, the fourth official will be
Andy Scregg.
General Information
• Tickets are still on sale for Saturday’s visit to the Pirelli Stadium.
• Coach travel is also available with tickets available in advance and on a first come first served basis on the day.
• The weather forecast is for cloudy skies with temperatures reaching a maximum of 2C.
