Wycombe Wanderers travel to Barnet on Saturday for their 37th league game of the season.
The Chairboys had to settle for a point after conceding an injury-time equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to Cambridge United on Saturday.
Adebayo Akinfenwa’s 17th goal of the season gave Wanderers a half time lead, but one is rarely enough for the Chairboys who have won 1-0 just once in their 43 outings this season.
And sure enough, with 93 minutes on the clock, their collective defensive failings struck yet again, and United snatched a point with only their second shot on target of the game.
Gareth Ainsworth’s side have now picked up just a single point from their last three matches, all of which were at Adams Park.
But despite the mini-slump, results elsewhere have been kind to the Chairboys, who remain 4th in the table but still have automatic promotion in their own hands, thanks to a game in hand on 3rd placed Notts County.
County have 65 points, and Wanderers 63, 12 more than they had at the same stage last season.
Relying on your rivals slipping up will only take you so far, and Wanderers will be desperate to return to winning ways against a Barnet side with the worst home record in the division.
Ainsworth made just one change to the starting line-up against the U’s, with Matt Bloomfield handed a recall in preference to Marcus Bean, who dropped to the bench.
Scott Kashket made a welcome return as a late substitute after recovering from a month out with a thigh injury.
Sido Jombati and loanee Randell Williams were both left out of the squad despite having recovered from knee and thigh injuries respectively.
Ainsworth was dealt another injury blow when Joe Jacobson was forced off with a hamstring injury, and he will be assessed ahead of the trip to the Hive.
Michael Harriman is back in training after breaking his leg in September and is now working on his fitness.
It is hoped that Anthony Stewart (calf) and Sam Saunders (knee) will return before the end of the season.
Barnet had to settle for a share of the spoils when they let a first-half lead slip to draw 1-1 at home to Port Vale on Tuesday.
The Bees went into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Coventry City three days earlier.
Tuesday’s point was enough to lift Barnet off the bottom of the table and above Chesterfield on goal difference, but the Spireites now have two games in hand on the Bees.
Graham Westley’s side have lost 4, drawn 4 and won 2 of their 10 league games since he was appointed manager in January.
Westley made just one change to his starting line-up against the Valiants, with teenager Fumnaya Shomotun handed a recall in preference to Shaquille Coulthirst who dropped to the bench.
Richard Brindley and Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro both made welcome returns to the bench after recovering from knee injuries.
Jamie Stephens, Tin Plavotic and Joe Payne were left out of the squad whilst Charlie Clough and Simeon Akinola missed out through injury.
Westley has no new injury concerns ahead of this weekend’s clash with the promotion-chasing Chairboys.
Clough and Akinola are both struggling with hamstring problems and will be assessed.
Harry Taylor remains sidelined having missed more than three months with a broken metatarsal.
Elliot Johnson and Dave Tarpey are both recovering from knee surgery (ACL) aren’t expected to back in action until next season.
Here are some stats…
Barnet Home Record………..W 4 – D 6 – L 8 – Pts 18 – Ppg 1.00 (Rank-24)
Wycombe Away Record…….W 8 – D 5 – L 4 – Pts 29 – Ppg 1.71 (Rank-2)
League positions & comparison with last season
Barnet (18 points worse off)
After 37 games this season the Bees are 23rd with 30 points
After 37 games last season they were 14th with 48 points
Wycombe (12 points better off)
After 36 games this season the Chairboys are 4th with 63 points
After 36 games last season they were 11th with 51 points
Barnet’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Accrington (H)………….Drew 1-1
Lg2: Carlisle (H)…………………Lost 1-3
Lg2: Colchester (A)……………Won 1-0
Lg2: Coventry (A)……………….Lost 0-1
Lg2: Port Vale (H)…………….Drew 1-1
Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)
Lg2: Swindon (H)………………Won 3-2
Lg2: Cheltenham (A)…………Won 2-0
Lg2: Morecambe (H)………….Lost 2-4
Lg2: Coventry (H)……………….Lost 0-1
Lg2: Cambridge (H)…………..Drew 1-1
Barnet Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Coulthirst……………….10
Akinola…………………..5
Nicholls………………….5
Akinde……………………4
Campbell-Ryce……….4 (inc 1 pen)
Vilhete……………………4
Akpa-Akpro…………….3
Taylor…………………….3 (inc 1 pen)
Santos……………………2
Blackman……………….1
Izquierdo………………..1
Watson…………………..1
Own goals………………1
Wycombe Goal Scorers – (All Competitions)
Adebayo Akinfenwa………..17
Craig Mackail-Smith………..10
Paris Cowan-Hall…………….8
Luke O’Nien……………………8
Nathan Tyson…………………6
Eberechi Eze…………………..5
Joe Jacobson…………………..5 (inc 3 pens)
Nick Freeman…………………4
Marcus Bean…………………..2
Matt Bloomfield………………2
Sam Saunders…………………2
Josh Umerah…………………..2
Will De Havilland…………….1
Michael Harriman…………..1
Sido Jombati……………………1
Dan Scarr………………………..1
Dayle Southwell………………1
Anthony Stewart……………..1
Wycombe Assists – (All Competitions)
Adebayo Akinfenwa………..14
Craig Mackail-Smith………..7
Paris Cowan-Hall…………….4
Joe Jacobson…………………..4
Nathan Tyson…………………4
Nick Freeman………………….3
Dominic Gape…………………3
Michael Harriman…………..3
Sam Saunders…………………3
Matt Bloomfield………………2
Eberechi Eze……………………2
Luke O’Nien…………………….2
Dan Scarr………………………..2
Scott Brown……………………1
Marcus Bean…………………..1
Sido Jombati……………………1
Nathan McGinley…………….1
Jack Williams……………………1
Barnet Goal Stats (43 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 34…Cups: 10…Total: 44
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 54…Cups: 11…Total: 65
Goals Scored (Home)………Lg: 16…Cups: 5…..Total: 21
Goals Conceded (Home)….Lg: 22…Cups: 5…..Total: 27
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 4…..Cups: 0…..Total: 4
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 11…Cups: 1…..Total: 12
Wycombe Goal Stats (43 games in all Competitions)
Goals Scored (Total)………..Lg: 68…Cups: 9…..Total: 77
Goals Conceded (Total)……Lg: 52…Cups: 14…Total: 66
Goals Scored (Away)………..Lg: 28…Cups: 2…..Total: 30
Goals Conceded (Away)……Lg: 22…Cups: 1…..Total: 23
Clean Sheets……………………Lg: 8…..Cups: 2…..Total: 10
Failed to Score…………………Lg: 7…..Cups: 2…..Total: 9
Wycombe – miscellaneous stats
Shots on-target (for)………….Lg: 204…Cups: 40…Total: 244
Shots on-target (against)……Lg: 140…Cups: 34…Total: 174
Shots off-target (for)………….Lg: 290…Cups: 53…Total: 343
Shots off-target (against)……Lg: 215…Cups: 40…Total: 255
Corners (for)………………………Lg: 200…Cups: 45…Total: 245
Corners (against)………………..Lg: 171…Cups: 34…Total: 205
Ave possession (for)……………Lg: 51.44%…..Cups: 50.14%
Ave possession (against)……..Lg: 48.56%…..Cups: 49.86%
Shooting comparison (league only)
Wycombe………shots on target – 204 (per game: 5.67) – (Rank-1)
Barnet……………shots on target – 148 (per game: 4.00) – (Rank-17)
League Form Guide
All Season
Barnet…………Pld: 37…W: 7….D: 9…L: 21…Pts: 30…Pts per game: 0.81
Wycombe……Pld: 36…W: 18…D: 9…L: 9…..Pts: 63…Pts per game: 1.75
Last Five league Games
Barnet………………DLWLD – 5 points (Rank-20)
Wycombe…………WWLLD – 7 points (Rank-11)
Last Five League Games (Home)
Barnet………………DWDLD – 6 points (Rank-20)
Last Five League Games (Away)
Wycombe…….WWWDW – 13 points (Rank-1)
First 45 mins v Second 45 mins – Performance Comparison
First 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 16…D: 11…L: 9…..Gf: 33…Ga: 21…Pph: 1.64
Second 45 mins
Wycombe…….W: 13…D: 12…L: 11…Gf: 35…Ga: 31…Pph: 1.42
Discipline *
Barnet…………3 Red Cards…50 Yellow Cards
Wycombe…….1 Red Card…..68 Yellow Cards
Marcus Bean………………9 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Joe Jacobson………………8 yellow
Luke O’Nien……………….6 yellow – 1 red
Paris Cowan-Hall………..5 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Adam El Abd………………5 yellow
Sam Saunders……………5 yellow
Matt Bloomfield…………4 yellow
Scott Brown……………….4 yellow
Adebayo Akinfenwa……3 yellow
Dominic Gape…………….3 yellow
Craig Mackail-Smith……3 yellow
Dan Scarr…………………..3 yellow (inc 1 Checkatrade)
Anthony Stewart………..3 yellow
Sido Jombati………………2 yellows
Dayle Southwell…………2 yellow
Nathan Tyson…………….2 yellow
Will de Havilland……….1 yellow
From FA website *
Previous Meetings
In 24 previous Football League, League Cup, Football League Trophy and FA Cup meetings (not counting qualifiers) there have been 10 wins for Wycombe, 6 for Barnet and 8 draws. The two sides have met many times in other competitions.
At Barnet, the tally is 5 wins for the Bees, 4 for the Blues and 3 draws.
1981/82 FAC: Barnet 2 Wycombe 0
1996/97 FAC: Barnet 3 Wycombe 3
2000/01 LGC: Barnet 2 Wycombe 1
2005/06 LG2: Barnet 0 Wycombe 0
2006/07 LG2: Barnet 2 Wycombe 1
2007/08 LG2: Barnet 2 Wycombe 1
2008/09 LG2: Barnet 1 Wycombe 1
2010/11 LG2: Barnet 0 Wycombe 1
2012/13 LG2: Barnet 1 Wycombe 0
2014/15 FAC: Barnet 1 Wycombe 3
2015/16 LG2: Barnet 0 Wycombe 2
2016/17 LG2: Barnet 0 Wycombe 2
Boss v Boss
In their managerial careers, Gareth Ainsworth and Graham Westley have clashed four times.
The current tally is 3 wins for Ainsworth, none for Westley and 1 draw.
Barnet’s record last season
Home….W:6…..D:9…..L:8…..GF:27 – GA:31 – Pts:27
Away…..W:8…..D:6…..L:9…..GF:30 – GA:33 – Pts:30
Total……W:14…D:15…L:17…GF:57 – GA:64 – Pts:57
Final position: 15th in League Two
Wycombe’s record last season
Home…W:11…D:6….L:6…..GF:29 – GA:21 – Pts:39
Away….W:8…..D:6….L:9…..GF:29 – GA:32 – Pts:30
Total….W:19…D:12…L:15 – GF:58 – GA:53 – Pts:69
Final position: 9th in League Two
The Man In The Middle
Saturday’s referee is Lee Collins from Surrey who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2011.
Earlier this season he refereed Wycombe’s 3-3 draw at home to Cheltenham Town.
During the current campaign he’s issued 1 red and 34 yellow cards in 10 appearances.
Prediction
Barnet 1 Wycombe 2
