Barnet v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: The Hive

Date: Saturday, October 2

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Aaron Jackson has shown 12 yellow cards in three National League games this season, and took charge of Barnet’s 2-0 defeat at home to Dagenham and Redbridge in August. Was referee in four Halifax games last season - three of them victories - against Wrexham, Aldershot, Solihull and Woking, awarding Town penalties against Aldershot and Solihull.

Odds: Barnet win 13/5, draw 5/2, Halifax win evens

Season so far

Barnet - P8, W1, D2, L5, F10, A20

Halifax - P8, W5, D1, L2, F15, A8:

Last five games

Barnet: Grimsby (a) L 4-3, Eastleigh (h) D 1-1, Chesterfield (a) L 4-2, Bromley (a) L 2-0, Weymouth (h) W 3-1

Halifax: Yeovil (a) L 1-0, Southend (h) W 3-1, Boreham Wood (a) D 2-2, Stockport (h) W 3-0, Aldershot (a) W 1-0

Scorers

Barnet: Mason Bloomfield (2), Serhat Tasdemir (2), Joe Widdowson, Daniel Powell, Ben Richards-Everton, Adam Marriott, Sam Granville, Mitch Brundle

Halifax: Billy Waters (7), Jordan Slew (2), Tom Bradbury (2), Jesse Debrah, Martin Woods, Niall Maher, Matty Warburton

Manager: Dean Brennan was appointed as Barnet’s head of football in June, after a successful spell in charge of Wealdstone, who he led to promotion into the National League. He is currently caretaker manager of The Bees after Harry Kewell was sacked following a poor start to the season, and oversaw Barnet’s first win of the campaign last Saturday at home to Weymouth.

Last season: 22nd in National League

One to watch: Striker Mason Bloomfield joined Barnet in the summer after being part of Hartlepool’s promotion-winning squad last season, including a goal against Halifax on Boxing Day. The 24-year old has also played for Dagenham and Redbridge, Norwich, Fylde and Crawley and has scored twice for The Bees so far this season.

Match facts: Only three players have scored more goals in the top five divisions of English football than Town’s Billy Waters (7).

No other side in the National League has conceded more goals than Barnet (20).

Only top two Chesterfield and Dagenham and Redbridge have scored more goals in the division than Halifax (15).

Last time they met: A dismal display saw The Shaymen lose 2-1 at The Hive last season, going two goals behind through Michael Petrasso and Anthony Wordsworth, before Jeff King got one back.

Follow all the action from The Hive on Saturday with our live blog on the Courier website, where there will also be an on-the-whistle match report and post-match reaction from Town boss Pete Wild.

Saturday’s National League fixtures:

Torquay v Wealdstone

Notts Co v Woking

Barnet v Halifax

Aldershot v Wrexham

Grimsby v Dover

Maidenhead v King’s Lynn

Solihull M v Southend

Weymouth v Stockport

Dag & Red v Altrincham

Eastleigh v Boreham W