Barnet face a significant test of their promotion credentials on Saturday 31 October when they travel to face Crewe Alexandra at the Alexandra Stadium. The League Two fixture pits the division's second and third-placed teams against each other, with Barnet holding a four-point advantage over their hosts in the standings.
Dean Brennan's side go into the game with 21 points from their opening 10 matches, a record built on six wins and three draws. Their goal difference of +8 is the third-best in the league, having scored 23 times. The Bees were held to a 1-1 draw by Oldham Athletic in their last outing, a result that halted a run of two consecutive victories.
Recent form and results
Barnet's form over the last five games shows two wins, two draws and a single defeat. That loss was a 3-1 home reverse to Swindon Town, but they responded with away wins at Tranmere Rovers and Bristol Rovers. Their most recent match saw Kabongo Tshimanga open the scoring against Oldham, only for a late equaliser to deny them all three points. Tshimanga remains the team's primary attacking threat, having netted 16 times in all competitions this season.
Crewe, meanwhile, are without a win in their last five matches across all competitions. They drew 1-1 with Chesterfield last time out, with Calum Agius leading their line in a familiar 4-2-3-1 setup. Their recent struggles have been marked by a lack of goals, scoring just three times during this five-game winless run.
Team lineups and preview
Barnet are expected to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation that started against Oldham. That lineup featured Cox in goal, with a back four of Senior, Collinge, Williams and Romoney Crichlow-Noble. The midfield trio of Gallagher, Reeves and Charlie Lakin provided the platform for Kanu and Tshimanga in attack. Brennan reported a clean bill of health from the Oldham match, with no new injury concerns ahead of the trip to Cheshire.
Crewe's last starting eleven included Booth in goal, with Offord and Stephenson at centre-back. Their creative hub is likely to be midfielder Tabiner, who will look to supply forwards Agius and March. The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, 31 October. A positive result for Barnet would consolidate their automatic promotion spot ahead of a busy November fixtures schedule, while Crewe are desperate for a victory to reignite their own push for the top three.
