The Hive
Saturday 17th October 2015
Kick Off: 15:00
Barnet: The Bees have now suffered three consecutive defeats, losing to Plymouth (2-1), AFC Wimbledon (2-0) and most recently Accrington Stanley (1-2). However Barnet are still 21st in the league as a result of some reasonably impressive home form. Prior to last Saturday the Bees had only lost once at The Hive, and recorded wins over local rivals Stevenage (3-2) and Dagenham & Redbridge (3-1) in the last month. Barnet manager Martin Allen revealed this week that he plans to make changes for this Saturday, and has promoted Andy Yiadom to Captain in an attempt to improve results.
Martin’s View: “We need to freshen it up and make a few changes. The team has played quite well at times and at other times playing very well – perhaps not getting the points that we deserved. But I’m going to have to make some changes now; some of them are difficult decisions.”
You can watch more from Martin Allen’s interview earlier in the week here.
Gary’s View: "The lads have trained extremely hard this week, on the back of last Saturday’s performance and result. We’re looking for a reaction and some change. Obviously the manager wants results to improve. Saying that, the players have responded on the training ground."
Check out the rest of Gary Waddock’s pre-match interview here.
York City: The Minstermen lie just two places above Barnet in the table, with only a point separating the sides. Despite beating Doncaster Rovers in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy (2-0), York have struggled in the league in recent weeks. The club haven’t recorded a win in six games, having lost to Notts County (1-0) and Oxford United (1-2). City’s biggest problem has been drawing too many games; they have tied five matches already this season.
In The Dugout:Russ Wilcox enjoyed a stellar start to his managerial career. The former Northampton Town defender was placed in charge of Scunthorpe United, following the sacking of Brian Laws in November 2013. Wilcox managed to remain undefeated for the first 28 matches of his reign, culminating in promotion from League Two. A difficult to start to life in the third tier saw the rookie manager replaced by Mark Robins, but it wasn’t long until he was back in the hot seat – taking over as York City manager in October 2014.
Dangerman: Barnet will be wary of the physical threat posed by York’s Vadaine Oliver. The 6ft 2in target man rose to prominence with Conference side Lincoln City back in 2012-13; he scored 11 goals in his debut season for The Imps. Oliver’s performances earned him a move to League One Crewe Alexandra. He struggled to cement his place in the Railwaymen’s first team, but scored a further seven goals when on loan at Mansfield down during the 2014-15 season. The 23-year-old’s performances at Field Mill attracted the attention of York City, who he joined in the summer.
Last Meeting: Barnet last played York City in February 2013. Edgar Davids’ side were fighting against relegation from League Two, and gained three valuable points at Bootham Crescent that afternoon. The home side took the lead after just seven minutes thanks to a David Stephens own goal, but an Andy Yiadom strike leveled things up before the break. Jake Hyde then scored the winner on 73 minutes to seal the win – Hyde would go on to sign for York City at the end of the following season.
Ticket Details: You can book tickets in advance of the game online here, or by phone on 020 8381 3800. Tickets can be bought on the day of the match, but only at the Ticket Office. It is recommended to book in advance or arrive early to avoid queues. Please note: concession tickets for the South Terrace are only available in advance of tomorrow’s game.
Travel: You can get to and from The Hive by taking our Shuttle Bus service. To find out more and check the bus timetable, click here.
Food & Drink: Grazioli’s Bar (under the West Stand) will be open from 12:30, for pre-match refreshments. Tottenham v Liverpool is the televised early kick-off on Saturday, so why not head down to the ground early and enjoy a pre-match beer before the game?
Prize Draw: Tickets for the Amber Triple Chance Draw are available for just £1. You could win a guaranteed first prize of £200, a £300 Jako voucher in our monthly draw, and be entered in an end-of-season draw for a year’s free Bees Membership! You can get tickets from our sellers around the ground.
Follow The Match: If you can’t get to The Hive, you can listen to full commentary of the match on Barnet Player. We’ll also have live twitter updates throughout the game here, and a match report & post-match reaction on barnetfc.com.