David Stephens says that the mood in the Barnet camp is high as the team prepare for tomorrow’s visit of Alfreton Town.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Bees defender said:

“Everyone is buzzing. The lads are training really well. At the moment I think the gaffer could put any player in the squad into the team and they would fit in well, so we’re all really looking forward to it.

“In this league you can’t take anybody for granted, so we will still have to start the match in the same way that we have started the other games and we should be alright.”

Stephens admits that it was a big boost for the team to return to the top of the table following last weekend’s victory over Southport, and believes that Barnet can now send out a message to their Conference rivals from their position on top of the pile:

“It was massive. We are still only top on goal difference but still, to look at the league, and especially our goal difference, other teams will look at that and it will make them think.”

Stephens has been an ever-present member of a defence that has already kept five clean sheets in their first six games, and is now looking to continue that excellent run of form as Barnet look to push on:

“We had a good run of clean sheets the season before last, but this is definitely one of the best runs that I have been on since I’ve been at the club.

“I think the manager could put any of us in the back line. Bondz is obviously a great player, Jack Saville is very versatile, and that is a good thing to have.

“It starts from the front and goes the whole way through the team. We press really well. We have been working on that in training and you can see it paying off in games so we need to keep that going.

“You take it match by match. Everybody wants a win and a clean sheet from every match. That is the ideal scenario, but the main thing is simply to win the game.”