Match Previews – Barnet Football Club

MATCH PREVIEW | GILLINGHAM

Megan — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:11:39 +0000

For one last time this regular season, the Bees take to the Hive turf to face Gillingham in our penultimate fixture of the 2025/26 campaign.

With two games to go and four points off the play-offs, Dean Brennan knows his side can only control what’s in front of them and get six points from a possible six, with any other possible outcomes out of their hands.

Barnet extended their unbeaten run in the league to seven games after beating promotion-chasing Notts County at Meadow Lane.

It was Kabongo Tshimanga’s third brace in black and amber that helped the Bees to three points, adding goal number 11 and 12 to his tally since his January arrival.

Stead came close to opening the scoring inside a minute of kick-off, but it took over half an hour before our number 20 found the back of the net with a fine flick set up by Ryan Glover.

Celebrations were short lived when the Magpies went up the other end of the pitch and were awarded a penalty when former Bee Lee Ndlovu was fouled in the area. Experienced midfielder Jodi Jones stepped up and slotted his spot-kick past Slicker to level proceedings at the halfway stage.

Tshimanga struck the woodwork early in the second 45, but managed to score the match winner when connecting with a cross from Stead on 70 minutes and sending it past James Belshaw.

The 28-year-old was unfortunate to not grab his first EFL hat-trick as the half continued, however the Bees managed the final stages of the tie as a collective and saw the game out.

Barnet’s last five results:

Notts County 1-2 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 3-2 Barrow A.F.C

Fleetwood Town 2 – 5 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 2-2 Bromley

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Cambridge

Gillingham:

The Gills are one of ten Sky Bet League Two clubs who mathematically have nothing to play for heading into the final two games of the season and are currently sat 18^th in the table.

The Kent club have won only one out of their last eleven games, most recently suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of promotion-pushing Grimsby Town.

Gareth Ainsworth’s side had hope when Garath McClearly cancelled out Andy Cook’s opener early in the second-half and were unlucky not to find a second when in the ascendency, but three goals in 11 minutes for the Mariners saw the Gills head home empty handed.

The Kent outfit have however managed to pick up two draws from their last three games away from home, with one of those being a clean sheet at the Peninsula Stadium against Salford City, who are pushing for promotion to League One.

Gillingham’s last five results:

Grimsby Town 4-1 Gillingham

Cheltenham Town 2-1 Gillingham

Salford City 0-0 Gillingham

Gillingham 2-0 Accrington Stanley

Walsall 2-2 Gillingham

In the opposition dugout:

Gareth Ainsworth has now surpassed a year in charge of the Gills and after an 18^th-place finish last season, will be hoping he can guide his side higher than that in the final two games of the campaign.

The 52-year-old has branded Barnet one of the ‘surprise teams in the league’ and is aware that the Bees have turned over some big teams and have legs in their side.

Ones to watch:

The Gill’s top goalscorer, Bradley Dack, will be one to watch. Despite not finding the back of the net since late January, the 32-year-old, as Bees’ fans know, is a threat from dead ball situations and his ability to be able to link up the play from defence to attack makes him a key asset to Ainsworth’s side.

Left-back Matt Clark has also been a threat, having scored three and provided a further six assists from the flank. The Hull City academy graduate is an attack-minded full-back who’s ambition and hunger on the pitch has made him a valuable member of the Gills’ squad since his arrival in the summer of 2023.

Last time the sides met:

The points were shared at the Priestfield Stadium in October. Barnet opened the scoring when Stead latched onto the ball following some brilliant footwork around the area from Idris Kanu, before Dack’s stunning free-kick levelled proceedings before the break.

Dack was on hand to clear a Ryan Glover effort off the line, while Cieran Slicker stood strong to deny the midfielder up the other end of the pitch in the first 45.

The second-half saw little action in front of goal for both sides, with Dean Brennan’s reflection being that Barnet didn’t increase their lead when dominating in the first 30 minutes of the game.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | NOTTS COUNTY

Megan — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:47:06 +0000

It’s the penultimate away day of the season this weekend as the Bees make the 232- mile round trip to Meadow Lane.

The Bees came from behind to beat Barrow 3-2 at home last time out, with goals from Kabongo Tshimanga, Mark Shelton and Callum Stead moving us within two points of the play-offs.

Dean Brennan made one change from the win over Fleetwood, as Idris Kanu returned to the starting XI.

Barrow made a fast start, taking the lead inside three minutes through Josh Gordon, but the Bees responded well and dominated much of the first-half, creating several chances but struggling to find a breakthrough.

Their persistence paid off in first-half stoppage time when Tshimanga applied the finishing touch to Shelton’s effort to level the score.

Shelton then put Barnet ahead early in the second-half before Barrow equalised through Rekeem Harper from distance.

Stead’s late header sealed the victory for Barnet, ensuring all three points at full-time.

Barnet’s last five results:

Barnet FC 3-2 Barrow A.F.C

Fleetwood Town 2 – 5 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 2-2 Bromley

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Cambridge

MK Dons 1-3 Barnet FC

Notts County:

Notts County are currently in the play-off places, sitting just outside the automatic promotion spots as they push for a return to League One.

The Magpies suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against promotion rivals Cambridge United last weekend, who scored three first-half goals from set pieces.

The hosts took the lead inside the opening minute through Dom Ball and continued to dominate in difficult, windy conditions.

Further goals from Caolan Lavery and James Gibbons put Cambridge firmly in control before the break.

Cambridge goalkeeper Jake Eastwood was sent off before half-time for handling outside the area, offering a brief lifeline to the visitors.

However, Gibbons added a fourth shortly after the restart from another set-piece to end any hopes of a comeback.

Despite hitting the bar and creating a few chances, Notts County were ultimately well beaten on the day.

Notts County last five results:

Cambridge Utd 4 – 0 Notts County

Notts County 3 – 1 Newport County

Salford City 2 – 1 Notts County

Harrogate Town 0 – 2 Notts County

Oldham Athletic 3 – 0 Notts County

In the opposition dugout:

Martin Paterson has been Head Coach of Notts County since his appointment in June 2025.

The 38-year-old former Northern Ireland international forward arrived at Meadow Lane after managing Burton Albion and is supported by assistant head coach Andy Edwards and First Team Coach Sam Slocombe.

Ones to watch:

Alassana Jatta is Notts County’s leading goalscorer, but the Gambian forward is currently serving a three-match suspension. This weekend will be the final game of his ban before he is eligible to return.

Matthew Dennis is the club’s next top goalscorer, recording 14 goals in 40 appearances.

Dennis joined Notts County in 2025 and has represented England at youth level in the u16 category.

The 24-year-old previously spent 12 years in the Arsenal Academy before multiple spells across the football pyramid.

Last time the sides met:

The last meeting between Barnet and Notts County ended in a 1-0 victory for the visitors at The Hive.

The Bees dominated much of the first- half and created the better chances but were unable to find a breakthrough before the interval.

Both sides continued to push in a tightly contested second-half, with opportunities at either end but neither able to convert.

Notts County snatched the winner in stoppage time, scoring in the 94th minute to secure all three points.

Tomorrow’s tie at Meadow Lane will be the first EFL meeting between the two sides in Nottingham.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | BARROW AFC

Megan — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:08:28 +0000

It’s back to home action this weekend as the Bees host Barrow in Sky Bet League Two.

Barnet secured all three points at Highbury Stadium with a deserved 5–2 victory on bank holiday Monday against Fleetwood Town.

The first-half was closely contested, with both sides creating chances, but the Lancashire outfit were reduced to ten men just before the break after Shaun Rooney’s red card.

The Bees capitalised immediately, as Callum Stead fired Barnet into the lead in first-half stoppage time.

Anthony Hartigan doubled the advantage early in the second-half with a stunning strike, though Fleetwood responded quickly and eventually levelled through Harrison Neal and a Mark Helm penalty.

The Bees regained control when Kabongo Tshimanga converted from the spot before adding his second moments later to restore a two-goal gap.

Substitute Diallang Jaiyesimi then sealed the win late on with a composed finish.

The result capped an impressive attacking display and a strong second-half performance from the Bees.

Barnet’s last five results:

Fleetwood Town 2 – 5 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 2-2 Bromley

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Cambridge

MK Dons 1-3 Barnet FC

Crawley Town 1-1 Barnet FC

Barrow AFC:

Barrow fell to a 1–0 defeat against Chesterfield on bank holiday Monday, denting their hopes of climbing out of the relegation zone.

After a tight first-half with limited chances, the decisive moment came just after the hour mark when a costly mistake from Wyll Stanway allowed Chesterfield’s James Berry to score.

The Bluebirds pushed for an equaliser, with Elliot Newby going close, but they couldn’t find a breakthrough.

Stanway made amends late on with important saves to keep Barrow in the contest, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.

The result leaves Barrow still just short of safety with only a handful of games remaining.

Barrow have struggled away against London sides in the Football League, winning just once in their last 15 such matches since December 1969.

Their only victory in that run came in August 2022, when they secured a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon.

Barrow’s last five results:

Barrow 0 – 1 Chesterfield

MK Dons 0 – 0 Barrow

Barrow 2 – 1 Bromley

Grimsby Town 5 – 0 Barrow

Salford City 3 – 1 Barrow

In the opposition dugout:

Barrow are currently led by player and interim manager Sam Foley after the dismissal of Dino Maamria who was appointed in February 2026.

He is assisted by former Newport County and Boston United manager Graham Coughlan in an advisory role.

Ones to watch:

Josh Gordon is Barrow’s leading scorer this season, with seven league goals in 28 appearances.

He averages 0.3 goals per game and out of the 28 games the 31-year-old has featured in, 25 of those have been starts.

Their second top goalscorer is Isaac Fletcher, who has scored six league goals and assisted a further two. The 23-year-old has featured regularly in midfield, making 27 appearances across the 2025/26 campaign.

Last time the sides met:

The Bees travelled to Barrow earlier in the season where the points were shared at the SO Legal Stadium.

Barrow took an early lead through Josh Gordon and dominated much of the first-half, but were reduced to ten men just before the break.

The Bees capitalised after half-time, equalising through Callum Stead before Adam Senior fired them ahead.

Despite being under pressure, Barrow found a way back into the game with a second-half equaliser and unfortunate own goal turned into the back of his own net by Nik Tavares.

The visitors pushed for a winner late on but were unable to convert, as the match ended two goals apiece.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | FLEETWOOD TOWN

Megan — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:50:04 +0000

It’s a quick turnaround and a long trip to Lancashire for the Bees tomorrow as they travel to the Highbury Stadium for our Easter Monday match-up with Fleetwood Town.

The Bees fell short of all three points in the closing stages of Friday’s meeting with top-of-the-table Bromley.

From a former Bee opening the scoring, to a young Bee opening his account in amber and black, the first-half was evenly matched between the two teams, with 19-year-old Phil Chinedu’s first EFL goal silencing the travelling crowd after experienced forward and familiar face Nicke Kabamba had put the Ravens ahead.

The second-half saw hustle and heart from the home side, with chances for Ryan Glover, Mark Shelton and Kabongo Tshimanga keeping the momentum on the Bees’ side.

Barnet were reduced to ten men when captain Danny Collinge was dismissed with 69 minutes on the clock, but Tshimanga’s spot-kick and his seventh strike in amber and black saw the Bees with the advantage up until the last few seconds of the tie when Bromley substitute George Evans capitalised on a long throw in the danger area and sealed a point for the league-leaders.

Barnet’s last five results:

Barnet FC 2-2 Bromley

Barnet FC 1-0 Cambridge United

MK Dons 1 – 3 Barnet FC

Crawley Town 1-1 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1-2 Newport County

Fleetwood Town:

After suffering relegation from League One at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, the Cod Army finished a respectable 14^th last season and currently sit one place better than that in 13^th with five games to go.

With 14 wins, 13 draws and 14 losses so far, the Lancashire outfit have lacked consistency despite stringing together an unbeaten run of eight games during February and March but only managing 3 wins in that string of results.

On Friday, Matt Lawlor’s side fell short to a Bristol Rovers side that have certainly turned their season around in the latter stages of the campaign.

Despite having more of the ball, more touches in the opposition box and creating four big chances, the side visiting the Memorial Ground came away empty-handed when Joe Quigley connected with a delivery from Jack Sparkes for the Rovers and headed home the only goal of the game.

Fleetwood Town’s last five results:

Bristol Rovers 1-0 Fleetwood Town

Swindon Town 1-1 Fleetwood Town

Fleetwood Town 1-0 Crawley Town

Grimsby Town 1-0 Fleetwood Town

Fleetwood Town 0-0 Tranmere Rovers

In the opposition dugout:

Matt Lawlor was named as the new Fleetwood boss on St Patrick’s Day following a successful spell as interim where he guided the Cod Army through their eight-game unbeaten run.

Initially joining the Lancashire club in 2019 as a youth coach, the 37-year-old progressed to head of coaching and player development, playing an instrumental role in guiding youngsters through the club’s pathway.

Local to the area, Lawlor understands what it means to represent Fleetwood and wants energy, pace and exciting football from his players and has a clear identity of how he visions the club progressing.

Ones to watch:

A player to watch out for on Monday will be the Cod Army’s top goalscorer, Mark Helm. The 24-year-old has eight goals and a further five assists to his name, making him one of the club’s main attacking threats.

The Manchester United academy graduate is enjoying his second season in Lancashire and as an attacking midfielder, is incredibly versatile and has the ability to operate as a box-to-box midfielder, more of a playmaker or even out on the right.

Helm can dictate the tempo with how he controls the ball and is also seen as a dead ball specialist.

Last time the two sides met:

After seven years away from the EFL, The Bees’ return to the Football League saw Fleetwood Town as the club’s first competitive opponents at The Hive back in August.

A starting XI that included stars from the National League title-winning campaign a few months prior, new loanees who have since moved on and four names who have played almost every minute of the 20256/26 campaign, the Bees’ new League Two adventure was just beginning.

The Bees were the side to find the back of the net first on the summer’s afternoon in London, but Danny Collinge’s tap in was ruled out for offside.

It was Fleetwood’s Will Davies who gave his side the lead midway through the first-half, with the Cod Army extending their lead early in the second-half through Elliot Bonds.

Dennis Adeniran tested the Fleetwood shot-stopper with a fierce strike, but despite creating an abundance of goalscoring opportunities, the Bees were unable to capitalise on the opening day of the season.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | BROMLEY

Megan — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:46:08 +0000

This season’s Good Friday fixture sees league-leaders Bromley make the short journey to The Hive from South London.

The Bees recorded their second consecutive win against sides above them in the table, with Danny Colinge’s early second-half strike proving to be the match-winner against Neil Harris’ Cambridge United.

A first-half fueled by frustrating winds meant neither side registered a shot on target, with Mark Shelton’s deliveries from free-kicks and corners not amounting to anything and Collinge sending an effort over the bar.

A change of formation at half-time and the decision to go down the wide areas meant Barnet found a breakthrough after the restart, with a Shelton corner being flicked past U’s number one Jake Eastwood by our number four to give the Bees the lead.

An opportunity to double our lead minutes later went amiss when a mix-up in the visiting defence opened up a chance for the Bees to fire into an empty net, but after rounding the keeper, Callum Stead ran himself into trouble and the angle was too tricky for our number ten to execute his effort.

Cieran Slicker recorded clean sheet number 15 of the campaign, with the 23-year-old only really tested on one occasion in the second-half when he was forced to parry away a Glenn McConnell, on his way to hit the target set by the Bees’ goalkeeping union before the 2025/26 campaign got underway.

Barnet’s last five results:

Barnet FC 1-0 Cambridge United

MK Dons 1 – 3 Barnet FC

Crawley Town 1-1 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1-2 Newport County

Salford City 2 – 0 Barnet FC

Bromley:

League-leaders since the final matchday of 2025, the Ravens have only lost on four occasions since the campaign kicked-off back in August.

Spanning 132 years, Bromley’s remarkable non-league journey came to an end when they beat Solihull Moors on penalties in the 2023/24 National League play-off final. Then followed a respectable 11^th-place finish last season and fast forward almost 12 months, Andy Woodman’s side are now five points clear at the top with six games remaining.

The South London side’s impressive 21-game unbeaten run beaten was brought to an end when bottom of the league Barrow registered a shock result against the Whites at Holker Street.

Ashley Charles put the visitors ahead in the first-half when he curled home a free-kick to put Bromley in front, but a stunning second-half display by the Bluebirds, with goals coming from Josh Gordon and January signing Danny Rose to seal victory for the struggling Cumbria side, lifting them off rock bottom and two points above Harrogate Town.

Bromley’s last five results:

Barrow 2-1 Bromley

Bromley 1-0 Colchester

Newport County 0-1 Bromley

Bromley 1-0 Bristol Rovers

Grimsby Town 1-1 Bromley

In the opposition dugout:

Andy Woodman recently surpassed five years in charge of the Ravens and is on track to guide the club to their second promotion in two years come May.

The 54-year-old described his side’s performance away at Barrow as ‘uncharacteristic’ and the decision making in all areas of the pitch when they had the ball was wrong.

‘They’re fighting for their lives and we should be fighting for our lives to get across the line’ was the message the Ravens’ boss delivered in his post-match interview and there’s no doubt the club are extremely hungry to bounce back when they visit The Hive.

Woodman has been without his top goal-scorer Michael Cheek since facing Oldham Athletic in early March, with his side only scoring one goal in each fixture since the striker was sidelined.

Ones to watch:

The Ravens acquired the signature of former Bee and National League title-winner Nicke Kabamba in the summer, and the 33-year-old has racked up 12 goals so far during the campaign.

The right-footed forward hit a century of career goals at the back end of last year and is a physical presence in the penalty area, winning 5.8 ariel duels per 90 and 17.92 ground duels.

Last time the two sides met:

Bromley hosted the Bees back in August, with the Ravens coming away with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Michael Cheek and former Bee Nicke Kabamba.

It took over 30 minutes before either keeper were tested at Hayes Lane, but it was Grant Smith who was called into action first to tip a curling effort from Idris Kanu over the bar, but Cheek volleyed home from a free-kick to give the hosts the lead before the break.

The second-half saw chances for both sides, with Joe Hugill hitting the side netting and Oli Hawkins hitting the woodwork late on, but Kabamba came back to haunt the Bees as he made sure of victory for his new side in added time.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | CAMBRIDGE UNITED

Megan — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:21:14 +0000

The Bees are back on home soil this Saturday, hosting Cambridge United in Sky Bet League Two action.

In the second of our string of fixtures against the league’s top three teams, the Bees will be looking to build on last weekend’s statement victory over MK Dons when the U’s visit the capital.

Dean Brennan named an unchanged starting XI following Tuesday night’s draw at Crawley Town, with Joe Kizzi and Diallang Jaiyesimi coming onto the bench in place of Rhys Browne and Britt Assombalonga.

MK Dons made the brighter start and took an early lead when Jon Mellish capitalised on a loose ball after Cieran Slicker failed to claim a cross.

Barnet responded as the half wore on, going close through Ryan Glover and Adam Senior before Danny Collinge headed home an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

The Bees carried that momentum into the second half, taking the lead just three minutes after the restart through Kabongo Tshimanga’s composed finish.

Idris Kanu then added a third soon after, putting Barnet firmly in control of proceedings.

Slicker produced a crucial penalty save to deny Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, while Callum Stead also made a vital goal-line clearance to preserve the advantage.

Barnet continued to dominate late on and comfortably saw out the closing stages to secure an impressive 3-1 victory at Stadium MK.

Barnet’s last five results:

MK Dons 1 – 3 Barnet

Crawley Town 1-1 Barnet

Barnet FC 1-2 Newport County

Salford City 2 – 0 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Chesterfield

Cambridge United:

The U’s currently sit in the third automatic promotion place, 2 points behind second place MK Dons.

Cambridge have recorded three consecutive clean sheets and will aim to make it four in a row for the first time in a single EFL season since February 1992.

Cambridge United produced a controlled performance against Salford last weekend to limit their visitors and secure a narrow victory, extending their unbeaten run to nine matches and recording a 16th clean sheet of the season.

Neil Harris made one change from the draw at Walsall, with James Brophy returning to the starting XI as the U’s looked to strengthen their position in the automatic promotion places.

The hosts started brightly and created the better chances in a cagey first-half, with efforts from James Gibbons, Mamadou Jobe and Sullay Kaikai testing the opposition but failing to break the deadlock.

Their dominance continued after the break and paid off early in the second-half, as Gibbons powered home a header from Brophy’s delivery to give Cambridge the lead.

Despite pushing for a second goal, Cambridge were forced to stay alert at the back, with Jake Eastwood producing key saves to deny late chances and preserve the advantage.

The U’s stood firm through a tense finish to claim all three points, maintaining their strong home form.

Cambridge United’s last five results:

Cambridge United 1 – 0 Salford City

Walsall 0 – 0 Cambridge United

Cambridge United 5 – 0 Gillingham

Accrington Stanley 1 – 1 Cambridge United

Cambridge United 1 – 1 MK Dons

In the opposition dugout:

Neil Harris is the manager of Cambridge United, bringing a wealth of experience from his playing career and previous roles in English football management.

Harris returned to the club in 2024 for a second spell in charge, having previously managed the U’s earlier in his career.

Ones to watch:

Cambridge United’s main attacking threats come from Ben Knight and Sullay Kaikai, who are currently the club’s top scorers with 8 league goals each this season.

Kaikai has added 2 assists, making him a key creative outlet in wide areas.

In midfield, James Brophy has been influential with 3 goals and a team-high 8 assists, contributing consistently from open play and set-pieces.

At the back, Jake Eastwood has played a crucial role, keeping 16 clean sheets in the league and helping Cambridge boast one of the strongest defences.

Last time the sides met:

The most recent meeting between Barnet and Cambridge United came in November 2025, when the two sides played out a 0-0 draw in the Sky Bet League Two.

It was a tight encounter with few clear-cut chances, reflected in the fact neither side was able to break the deadlock across the 90 minutes.

It was a cagey encounter in Cambridgeshire, with few clear-cut chances in the first-half as both sides struggled to break the deadlock despite efforts from Idris Kanu and Adam Senior testing Jake Eastwood.

Barnet grew into the game and created the better openings, but were repeatedly denied by Eastwood, including a one-on-one stop to keep the scores level at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with limited chances at either end and both defences holding firm, as the match ultimately finished goalless.

The result continued a trend between the two teams, with 6 of their last 12 meetings ending in draws.

Earlier in the season, the Bees did claim a 3-2 win over Cambridge in the EFL Trophy, showing how closely matched the sides have been.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | MK DONS

Megan — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:30:06 +0000

It’s away game number two of the week tomorrow, as the Bees make the short trip up the M1 to face title-chasing MK Dons in a lunchtime kick-off in Buckinghamshire.

This is the first of three fixtures over the next few weeks, in which Barnet come face-to-face with all of the league’s top three sides as we’re now into single digits of games remaining this season.

Dean Brennan’s side were frustrated not to come away from the Broadfield Stadium with all three points on Tuesday night, as Mark Shelton’s goal early in the second-half was cancelled out by an 89^th-minute penalty taken by Danilo Orsi.

After an early wake-up call, with Crawley hitting the woodwork, the Bees were able to swing the momentum in their favour.

Kabongo Tshimanga, Ryan Glover, Adam Senior and Danny Collinge all came close to finding the back of the net in the first 45, but no purple and white shirt could finish off an attack before the break.

The Bees continued to press in the second-half and Shelton struck his seventh of the season when Romoney Crichlow’s throw in met Glover. Glover’s delivery was then headed back across goal by Senior, before our number nine’s outstretched foot poked the ball across the line to give us the lead.

Callum Stead came close to doubling our lead when Crawley’s keeper Jack Chapman came out of his area, but our number ten sent the ball bouncing off the outside of the post. Another chance came when a Hartigan corner was nodded on by a red shirt and looked like it was heading goalwards, but Crichlow’s body at the back post saw the ball come ricocheting off the frame of the goal.

Crawley’s equaliser came a minute before the 90, with Cieran Slicker diving the right way, but the Red Devils’ number 99 nestled the ball into the bottom right corner to secure a point for the struggling Sussex side.

Barnet’s last five results:

Crawley Town 1-1 Barnet

Barnet FC 1-2 Newport County

Salford City 2 – 0 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Chesterfield

Accrington Stanley 0 – 1 Barnet FC

MK Dons:

The Dons currently the second automatic promotion spot and sit only two points behind league-leaders Bromley, having won 21, drawn 11 and only lost on six occasions during the 2025/26 campaign.

The Buckinghamshire club were dubbed one of the favourites for the title after spending big in the summer and are currently on track to be one of the three teams that will get guaranteed promotion to the third tier.

Having netted 75 goals so far this campaign, averaging 1.9 goals per 90, tomorrow’s hosts are not shy in the final third and have 19 different goalscorers on their books this season.

MK Dons hosted Colchester United on Wednesday night at Stadium MK and recorded a 1-0 win and took their clean sheet tally to 13.

The U’s were made to defend for much of the first-half, with Alex Gilbey unfortunate not to score his 11^th of the campaign when his effort from inside the area hit the crossbar, before Aaron Collins wasted an opportunity from 12 yards out.

The breakthrough came in the 39^th minute when a header from Ben Wiles came off the bar, before hitting Colchester shot-stopper and going into the back of the net.

It was a game in which the hosts dominated in the danger areas and registered 17 shots, despite only 3 being on target, with their visitors unable to record a single effort on goal.

The Dons are on a current unbeaten run of 14 games and the Bees will be hoping to stop that tomorrow lunchtime.

In the opposition dugout:

Former Derby County and Rotherham United boss Paul Warne is doing a remarkable job in his first season at Milton Keynes and has led his side to 11 wins out of 19 on home soil.

The Dons’ manager has instilled belief into his players, always looking for individuals that will buy into a collective effort of wanting to win, with technical ability not always at the forefront.

The 52-year-old is still without experienced forward Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who suffered a hamstring injury towards the back end of last year and also top goalscorer Callum Patterson who’s been out since last month with an ankle injury. Warne has said both are close to returning, but there’s no need to rush them back.

Ones to watch:

With a wealth of experience in the squad, it’s hard to single out one star player for the Dons, but with top scorer Paterson still side-lined, another one of their biggest attacking outlets is club captain Alex Gilbey.

The 31-year-old experienced forward has entered double digits for goals in his third season with the club during his second stint, after previously playing from 2017-2020 and is close to netting 50 goals, and on his way to hitting 240 appearances in white over the next couple of weeks.

The playmaker is able to control the tempo from further up the pitch, as well as create opportunities for himself and his teammates and has been dubbed the ‘beating heart of the Buckinghamshire outfit’s midfield’.

Gilbey has started all but two games this campaign, making him a key player in the Dons’ push for promotion to League One.

Last time the two sides met:

MK Dons travelled to the Hive back in November and left with a point after the teams played out an eventful 2-2 draw.

The Bees found themselves with a two-goal advantage thanks to goals from Adam Senior and Mark Shelton from the spot, but the Dons closed the gap before the break, through Jack Sanders.

Our two-goal lead should’ve been restored early in the second-half, when Mark Shelton’s indirect free-kick found the back of the net, but as there was no other touch before the ball crossed the line, the goal was ruled out.

The Dons levelled proceedings when Mendez-Laing found the back of the net midway through the second 45.

Both sides created opportunities as they looked for a third, but the score remained the same at the full-time whistle.

The Bees will be looking for their first win at Stadium MK for almost 20 years, with Ismail Yakubu’s goal proving to be the difference back in 2008, a year after the stadium opened.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | CRAWLEY TOWN

Megan — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:54:27 +0000

Barnet travel South to the Broadfield Stadium This evening to face another regelation-battling side in Crawley Town under the lights in West Sussex.

Dean Brennan will be hoping for St Patrick’s Day success on the road as they look to bounce back to winning ways after Saturday’s defeat at the hands of Newport County at The Hive.

Despite the visitors pressing from minute one, the Bees were able to control proceedings in the first-half, finding spaces out wide and in the pockets to exploit the Exiles’ defence.

The deadlock was broken just after the half-an-hour mark when Cieran Slicker’s one-touch clearance fell kindly to Callum Stead, who controlled the ball well, before rolling it past Jordan Wright to give the home side the advfantae at the halfway point.

The visitors came out firing on all cylinders following the restart and after Danny Collinge courageously cleared Ben Lloyd’s effort that was heading for goal and Crichlow coming close to capitalising from a Bees’ corner, Newport got their equaliser with 25 minutes to go.

The visitors continued to get the ball into the Bees’ box and were rewarded for their persistent press James Crole found the back of the net with less than ten minutes left on the clock.

Barnet have now recorded consecutive defeats for the second time this year and will be looking to bounce back with a positive result when they travel outside of the M25 this evening.

Barnet’s last five results:

Barnet FC 1-2 Newport County

Salford City 2 – 0 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Chesterfield

Accrington Stanley 0 – 1 Barnet FC

Colchester 4 – 1 Barnet FC

Crawley Town:

Another relegation-battling side that the Bees come face to face with, in the latter stages of the campaign, the Red Devils are one of the four relegated sides that occupied one of the 24 spots in League One last season but now see themselves one point above the relegation zone heading into match 38 of the campaign.

The West Sussex side haven’t recorded a win since late January, but have picked up four draws against sides in the top half of the table. Two of those stalemates saw goalkeeper Matt Macey keep clean sheets, with goals in added time securing valuable points in the others.

Scott Lindsey’s side held Colchester United to a goalless draw last time out at the JobServe Community Stadium, in a performance that Crawley were proud to claim a point from, with their opponents seeing it as a missed opportunity to get closer to the play-off places.

In terms of chances created for both sides, it was a pretty even affair, but for a Crawley side who are up their for opportunies created and chances missed in the league, it may be seen as another missed opportunity to climb higher to EFL safety.

Crawley Town’s last five results:

Colchester United 0-0 Crawley Town

Crawley Town 2-2 Swindon Town

Oldham Athletic 2-0 Crawley Town

Crawley Town 1-1 Chesterfield

MK Dons 0-0 Crawley Town

In the opposition dugout:

Scott Lindsey is approaching a year in charge of the red devils and will be hoping his side can pick up enough points in the last nine games to avoid back-to-back relegations to the National League.

The 53-year-old was very busy in the winter window, bringing in 13 new players, which included striker Tobi Adeyemo on loan from Championship side Watford and the return of Wembley hero Danilo Orsi.

The Red Devils’ boss described his side’s performance at Colchester United as ‘dogged’ and believed they may have been able to nick victory near the end when Ronan Darcy struck a half-volley, but it was well-saved by Matt Macey.

Ones to watch:

Centre-back Charlie Barker has been a consistent performer for Crawley this season, starting 32 games this campaign.

The 23-year-old joined the Red Devils last season has since made 83 appearances.

Barker’s ability to control the tempo of the game from deep makes him one of the first names on Lindsey’s team sheet every week. He’s particularly strong in the air and his understanding of the game and ability to balance progression and protection of the ball makes him a key member of the Crawley crew.

Last time the two sides met:

The Bees came out on top in our New Year’s Day clash with Crawley Town at The Hive, with Joe Kizzi ‘s brace proving to be the difference in securing Barnet three points in the first fixture of 2026.

The scoring was opened on the five-minute mark, when our number 30 headed home a Mark Shelton corner for the early advantage.

Both sides created chances as the first-half continued, but the visitors found an equaliser when Harry McKirdy positioned himself in Cieran Slicker’s blind spot before he rolled the ball into the path of a Bees’ defender, but the Red Devils’ forward was able to intercept it to bring proceedings level at the break.

Kizzi’s second oof the afternoon came with 15 minutes to go, when Ryan Glover’s ball got a touch from the 32-year-old to send it into the back of the net.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | NEWPORT COUNTY

Megan — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:55:48 +0000

It’s back to home action this weekend for the Bees as they host Newport County in Sky Bet League Two.

Barnet suffered a 2-0 defeat last time out against Salford with two goals late in the first-half proving decisive for the hosts

Ryan Glover found Romoney Crichlow in the box early on in the tie, but the move was halted after the linesman raised his flag for offside.

Salford responded with chances for Ryan Graydon and Cole Stockton, though neither found the target, while Slicker denied Jorge Grant with a strong save.

The Bees threatened the opposition with Diallang Jaiyesimi making a run down the left, but Nnamdi Ofoborh’s effort on goal was gathered comfortably by Salford’s Matty Young.

The hosts eventually broke the deadlock in the 39^th minute when Ros Longelo fired them ahead with Matt Butcher doubling the lead just before the break.

Salford came close to extending their advantage in the second-half, hitting the post and forcing Slicker into a close range save.

Despite substitutions and efforts from Oforborh and Glover, the Bees were unable to find a breakthrough goal as the hosts held firm.

Barnet’s last five results:

Salford City 2 – 0 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1 – 0 Chesterfield

Accrington Stanley 0 – 1 Barnet FC

Colchester 4 – 1 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1 – 2 Swindon Town

Newport County:

Relegation-threatened Newport Country are currently sitting in 23^rd place in the Sky Bet League Two table, having won two out of their last five matches.

Two second half goals from Colchester United’s Harry Anderson and Jack Payne within six minutes of each other halted Newport County’s hopes of securing three points on home soil.

County had climbed out of the relegation zone after their midweek win over Tranmere Rovers but slipped back down into the bottom two following their defeat against the U’s.

A controversial 58^th minute goal from Anderson was allowed to stand, with Payne doubling Colchester’s lead minutes later.

Substitute Lee Jenkins sent the ball home deep into added time to get one back for Newport but they left empty-handed at full-time.

A win for The Exiles could see them move up the Sky Bet League Two table and out of the relegation zone.

Newport County’s last five results:

Newport County 1 – 2 Colchester Utd

Newport County 3 – 1 Tranmere Rovers

Fleetwood Town 0 – 0 Newport County

Newport County 0 – 2 Cambridge Utd

Salford City 1 – 3 Newport County

In the opposition dugout:

Former Leicester City defender, Christian Fuchs has been at the helm for Newport County since November 2025 after the club parted ways with previous manager, David Hughes.

After last week’s defeat, Fuchs stated that the team had become relaxed with little energy, saying “We should take initiative, not just react to something that has happened. It starts with us being on the front foot and being brave on the ball”.

Fuchs is joined by Mark Smith as assistant manager, who also came into the coaching staff in November 2025.

Ones to watch:

Newport County’s joint top goalscorers this season are right-winger Michael Spellman and striker Nathaniel Opoku, each with five goals to their name.

Spellman has recorded 112 goals across his career, with appearances in Sunderland’s youth and first teams, as well as Whitby and Blythe Spartans before being loaned to Newport in 2024.

Opoku also came through a youth team, having played for Leicester City’s U21s side, before being loaned to Belgian team OH Leuven and then to Newport County. He joined Newport in 2025 and has netted 59 goals across the leagues in his career.

Last time the sides met:

The Bees made the 300-mile round trip to Rodney Parade on Boxing Day in 2025 where each team came away with one point.

A slow start in South Wales saw few chances, although Newport came closest early on when Slicker rushed off his line to deny Spellman, before the danger was cleared.

The hosts threatened again shortly after, but Slicker was on hand to gather the effort.

It was close for the Bees before the break as Kanu, Collinge and Assombalonga were all denied by Wright before half-time, which saw the scoreline stand at 0-0.

There were limited chances in the second-half, with Ofoborh forcing a save between the sticks and Stead firing wide late.

It was a last-gasp scramble in the Newport box before the final whistle blew, but neither side found a breakthrough in South Wales.

This will be the 13^th time that the sides have met, with the Bees recording 4 wins, 5 draws and 3 losses.

COYB

MATCH PREVIEW | SALFORD CITY

Megan — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:15:33 +0000

The Bees travel North to Manchester for tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off in Sky Bet League Two action, to face a squad-sapped Salford City side at the Peninsula Stadium.

The Bees recorded back-to-back victories last week, with Tuesday night’s win at Accrington Stanley followed by a second consecutive 1-0 victory on home soil against a commanding Chesterfield team.

The Spireites overloaded the Barnet box from minute one and were unlucky not to find the opener early on, but none of their entries into the final third ended up on target, with Cieran Slicker not being called into action to make a save.

The Bees came close when Idris Kanu and Kabongo Tshimanga combined, with the latter almost poking home a delivery into the back post, before captain Danny Collinge sent an effort bouncing off the bar.

Dean Brennan’s side continued the momentum into the second 45 and it was Nnamdi Ofoborh who struck 5 minutes after the hour mark hit. The build-up play involved Ben Winterburn, Callum Stead and Diallang Jaiyesimi in the final stages, before our number 28 fired the ball into the top corner from inside the area.

Slicker was only forced into one save at the Hive last Saturday, as Chesterfield searched for an equaliser, but Ofoborh’s goal proved to be the matchwinner.

Barnet’s last five results:

Barnet FC 1-0 Chesterfield

Accrington Stanley 0 – 1 Barnet FC

Colchester Utd 4 – 1 Barnet FC

Barnet FC 1 – 2 Swindon Town

Barnet FC 0 – 0 Cheltenham Town

Salford City:

The Ammies will be aiming to get something out of tomorrow’s game with the home advantage, despite having a depleted squad due to injuries and having only won one out of their last five league outings.

Karl Robinson’s side sit one place and two points above the Bees but are 22^nd in the current form table after only managing to pick up one win since late January.

The Ammies recorded a 1-0 win on the road at Colchester United on Saturday following four straight defeats but were unable to continue the momentum into their Tuesday night test against Grimsby Town.

Salford started the stronger side in Cleethorpes under the Blundell Park lights, with January signing Ryan Graydon and Spurs loanee Alfie Dorrington coming close in the opening stages.

Left winger Kelly Nmai was forced off the pitch just 14 minutes into the game, which proved to be a turning point, with the Mariners going on to score three goals in nine minutes before the break.

Despite Cole Stockton netting his second in as many games shortly after the restart and having other opportunities in the second 45, Salford left Lincolnshire empty-handed and with another two further injury woes.

Salford City’s last five results:

Grimsby Town 3-1 Salford City

Colchester United 0-1 Salford City

Salford City 1-2 Shrewsbury Town

Cheltenham Town 3-2 Salford City

Salford City 1-3 Newport County

In the opposition dugout:

Karl Robinson has now overseen the Ammies for over two years and is hoping his side can leap into League One despite the recent rut in results.

Following the loss on Tuesday night, the 45-year-old stated that everyone was collectively taking the blame for the dip in form, putting a positive win on the miserable night on the East coast, saying “We ended up winning the second half 1-0.”

Karl has had to cope with the lack of depth in his side over recent weeks, but the club did bring in former Fleetwood forward Ryan Graydon in January, who’s added experience to the attacking line and is already off the mark for the club having played every game since leaving Lancashire.

One to watch:

Cole Stockton has scored two goals in Salford’s last couple of games, coming off the bench and scoring the match-winner at the JobServe Community Stadium just nine minutes after entering the action.

The 31-year-old has netted over 130 goals across his 15-year-long b career to date, with his vision and positioning on the pitch making him a target man for deliveries into the box.

The experienced striker can also use his frame and strength well to hold up the ball in certain situations, and he plays well alongside athletic wingers who will do the running down the flanks before getting the ball into a desired area.

Last time the sides met:

The Ammies came to The Hive for the Bees’ final home fixture of 2025 and took the three points back to Salford.

Karl Robinson’s side scored twice in the space of five minutes before the break; adding a third just ten minutes into the second-half to go 3-0 up.

Oli Hawkins made sure Matty Young didn’t add another clean sheet to his tally when he sent an effort into the bottom left corner from very close-range for a Bees’ consolation goal, in a game where Dean Brennan said “They’re the best side we’ve played.”

Barnet have only come up against the Ammies on three previous occasions, with the only meeting in Manchester seeing a 0-0 draw being played out in the National League seven years ago.

The amber and black army are yet to record a win against the Manchester club, so with momentum on our side and an away backing, it’s set up to be an exciting tie.

COYB