Match Preview: Mansfield Town (A)
EFL League Two
One Call Stadium
Saturday, September 10, 2016 – KO 3.00pm
Team News: The Bees have long-term absentees in James Pearson, Michael Gash and Gavin Hoyte, while Bira Dembele is also sidelined. Winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce was back among the substitutes for last weekend’s abandonment at Newport Counter, however. You can get the very latest from the treatment room by clicking here.
Mansfield, meanwhile, are without striker Danny Rose who has a fractured eye socket. Jack Thomas and Chris Clements have also been injured.
Last Time We Met: The Bees drew 1-1 at Mansfield Town at the end of April in their penultimate away game of the 2015/16 season.
John Akinde put Barnet in front after six minutes when he latched onto Michael Gash’s lob forward and nodded the ball over onrushing Mansfield keeper Scott Shearer.
But the Stags secured a point when Emmanuel Dieseruvwe curled beyond the reach of Jamie Stephens after receiving Matty Blair’s pass inside.
Opposition Form: Mansfield go into Saturday’s game fifth in EFL League Two with 11 points from their first six games.
The Stags are unbeaten at the One Call Stadium where they have won one, beating Yeovil Town 1-0, and drawn against Cheltenham Town (1-1) and Cambridge (0-0).
Manager: Former Stags midfielder Adam Murray, 34, has been at the helm at the One Call Stadium since November 2014 when he succeeded Paul Cox on a caretaker basis.
Murray won his first game in charge, 1-0 at home to Plymouth Argyle, the next day and was appointed player-manager the following month making him the youngest manager in the Premier League and Football League.
As a player, Murray played for 11 clubs including Derby County, Carlisle United and Oxford United. He made 209 appearances for Mansfield across four spells with the club.
Dangerman: Striker Matt Green, 29, has picked up where he left off last season by scoring three in his first six league games of the new season.
The former Birmingham City forward netted 16 times in 44 starts last season after returning to One Call Stadium following two years with the Blues.
Green’s time at St Andrew’s was wrecked by injury and he made just seven starts in the Championship during his two-year stay.
His form at Mansfield previously is what had prompted Birmingham to take a chance on him after he scored 54 times in three seasons between 2011 and 2013.
Connections: Centre-back Krystian Pearce made 18 appearances on loan for Barnet during the 2012/13 season, scoring his solitary Bees goal in the 4-0 rout of Northampton Town in October 2012 — the game in which Edgar Davids made his debut for the club.
Andy Yiadom, Anthony Edgar and John Oster were also on target that game, but despite a thumping win the season ended in relegation to the Conference on the final day.
Last Time Out: The Stags played out a goalless draw at home to Cambridge United last Saturday with both sides wasting chances to take maximum points.
Mitch Rose brought a good low stop out of U’s keeper Will Norris in the first half before Rhys Bennett headed over from a corner after the break.
Mansfield Town (4-3-3): Shearer; Bennett, Benning, Collins (c), Pearce; Taft, Chapman, M. Rose (Hoban 80); Hurst (Hemmings 63), Henderson (Hamilton 55), Green.
Ticket info: You can find out everything you need to know about tickets to Saturday’s match here.
Keep up with the game: Full match commentary from every game is available on Bees Player HD, or head over to our Twitter page for match updates throughout the afternoon.
