Match preview Vs Barnet

The general consensus of most Harriers fans following the last two games against Telford and Welling is that although we are gaining points (one against Telford and all three against Welling) the manner in which those points are gained is the problem.  On Saturday we'll be travelling down to league leaders Barnet and surely as eggs is eggs the North London side will expose our frailties in defence, midfield and upfront.  In fact in any position.

In those last two home games we have sat back on a lead only to let the visitors work their way back into the game although in the case of Welling they didn't quite manage to find that elusive equaliser.  Both sides capitalised on our lack of a midfield that lacks the creativity of a Mike Marsh or Lee Fowler and the front two feed on scraps.

Against Welling on Wednesday evening there was also a distinct lack of any passing ability from our gifted full timers.  At time we were being passed off the park by the part timers from Kent and surely Steve Burr summarising for BT Sport must have been wondering where all the skills, that he instilled in virtually the same squad that Gary Whild now manages, has evaporated to.  Fans who were watching eighteen months ago would be wondering the vary same.

We need a massive change in tactics by our management duo if we hope to come back from Barnet with at least a point.

We will have Josh Gowling back for the game with the only injury being to Josh O'Keefe who came back from loan at Telford with a groin injury but in the programme notes from Wednesday Gavin Crowe said he had a back injury.  Luckily Kyle Storer didn't, as expected, pick up his fifth booking of the season against Welling so will be playing at Barnet.

Barnet themselves had a surprise set back on Tuesday evening when they lost 2-1 at Macclesfield but they still sit three points clear of second placed Gateshead and seven points above ninth placed Harriers.  In their previous three games they have beaten Eastleigh and FGR with a draw at Braintree sandwiched in between.

They'll be without Charlie MacDonald (knee) and Keanu Marsh-Brown (thigh) for the game with both of them a few weeks away from action.  They have a host of players to be wary of with Luisma Villa being the most influential and the powerhouse centre forward John Akinde the most dangerous in front of goal.  If we can stifle those two then we might get something from the game but I'm not crossing fingers just yet.


Harriers from:
Lewis, Singh, Hodgkiss, Green, Storer, Dunkley, Nicholson, Gowling, Grimes, O'Keefe, Byrne, Obeng, M Johnson, Verma, Blissett, Gittings, Gash, Reid, Styche.

Barnet from:
Stack, Cowler, Yiadom, E Johnson, Saville, N'Gala, Stephens, Weston, Akinde, Cook, Togwell, Villa, Vilhete, Muggleton, Gambin, Nurse, Allen, Mekki, Hoskins, Pavey.

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