MATCH PREVIEW | ALTRINCHAM

The Bees are back on the road for the second time this week, heading up to face
Altrincham on Saturday (3pm) in the Fourth Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.

Barnet FC: Dean Brennan’s side are wanting to come away with a victory heading into this
Fourth Round tie. 

After coming off from a 1-1 draw away in the National League
to Eastleigh on a wet and chilling New Year\’s Day fixture. 
Eastleigh opened the scoring near the midway point of the first half from a goal by Tyreese Shade on the 16th minute.

Barnet were constantly putting pressure on the home side
throughout the game, creating chances down both sides but Eastleigh’s Joe
McDonnell between the sticks helped keep his side up for the majority of the
match.
 
During the second half a strong cross into the box delivered by Ryan
Glover was guided into the bottom left of the goal in the 72nd minute thanks to a
well connected header by Callum Stead who rescued a point for the Bees at the
Silverlake Stadium.

Barnet last five results:
Eastleigh FC 1-1 Barnet FC
Barnet FC 3-3 Sutton United
Barnet FC 1-1 Halifax Town
Barnet FC 4-1 Ebbsfleet United
Barnet FC 2-0 Aveley FC

Altrincham FC:
The home side are yet to play their first game of 2025, after New Year’s Day
National League fixture away to Rochdale was postponed due to waterlogged
pitch.

They’ve ended 2024 around the half-way mark of the table standing 10th
after 23 games as well as gaining only 5 points points from their last 4 league
fixtures in December. 

Altrincham also progressed through the cup winning 4-2
on penalties after the match finished 0-0 at home to Macclesfield in the last
round of the Isuzu FA Trophy.

Altrincham’s No.9 Regan Linney calmly netted the final penalty of the tie after Alty’s
Ethan Ross in goal saved a shot early in the shootout to which led them into the next round of the cup.

Altrincham last five results:

Altrincham 0-0 Halifax Town
Woking 1-0 Altrincham
Altrincham 1-0 Sutton United
Wealdstone 0-0 Altrincham
Altrincham 0(4)-0(2) Macclesfield
 
In the opposite dugout:

Phil Parkinson is the manager of the home side with Neil Sorvel working
alongside as assistant manager. 

They have both been in the dugout at the club for over 6 seasons, leading the club to two promotions and holding a spot in the National League for the past 3 seasons.

 The duo got the club to the Fourth
Round of the cup last season before exiting 4-2 on penalties away to
Kidderminster.
Ones to watch:
Altrincham striker Regan Linney will be a test for the Bees defence as the
striker has been netting most of the goals for the club despite standing 10th in
the league. Linney is also currently sitting 2nd on the lists for most goals in the
National League so far this season with 14, missing out the top spot by just 1
goal. With the clubs New Year’s Day fixture away to Rochdale postponed, the
team are also coming back well rested from their Boxing Day draw to Halifax
Town.

Last time these two sides met:
The last time these two sides met was back in September at the Hive resulting
in a 2-1 victory to the Bees. After the away side taking an early lead Barnet kept
fighting throughout the game, grabbing an equaliser in the 28th minute from
Harry Chapman. The Bees left it late however to take away the three points
thanks to a 92nd minute winner by Rhys Browne.