Match Previews

MATCH PREVIEW: BARNET F.C

5th February

All the details you need to know, ahead of Saturday's visit of Barnet F.C.

Looking at the visitors

Newport once against find themselves playing a crucial fixture against a team around them in the bottom third of the League 2 table. Whilst Barnet are six points ahead of the Exiles at this stage of the season, they are only in 18th place and after a terrific win away at Morecambe last weekend County will be looking to make it two wins in a row and increase the gap between themselves and the relegation zone to a potential ten points.

Barnet themselves have been struggling for goals a little bit since the start of 2016, having only scored one goal in January in their 1-0 victory over Bristol Rovers. John Akinde is their top scorer with eleven goals in all competitions but with the last two games having ended in 0-0 draws, Newport County and particularly Scott Boden, who netted his tenth of the season against Morecambe last weekend, will be targeting this fixture as three points they have a good chance of claiming.

Form Guide

Newport County – DWLDL LWDLW 12 points

Barnet – L LDW WL LWD D 12 points

Upcoming Milestones

Scott Barrow – 3 appearances for 175 professional appearances

Ben Davies – 1 appearance for 75 professional appearances

Medy Elito – 1 goal for 25 professional goals

Yan Klukowksi – 1 appearance for 225 professional appearances

Conor Wilkinson – 3 appearances for 50 professional appearances

Scott Boden – 3 appearances for 250 professional appearances

Joe Day – 4 appearances for 125 professional appearances

Previous Milestones

Alex Rodman v Morecambe was his 225th professional appearance

He played for both

Mark Byrne – After a career with Nottingham Forest, Burton Albion and Rushden and Diamonds, Byrne went on to make 163 appearances for Barnet scoring 19 goals before making the move to Newport County with 77 appearances to date, scoring 7 goals.

Barnet’s record against County

Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 Goals For 2 Goals Against 1

Saturday 26th December 2015: Barnet 2 – 0 Newport County

Saturday 5th December 2015: Barnet 0 – 1 Newport County (Boden 59’)

Last meeting

It was Barnet who came away with all three points last time these two sides met on Boxing Day, quickly shaking off the FA Cup defeat that County had implemented on them three weeks beforehand. The first goal came after Medy Elito conceded a penalty and saw red which Akinde comfortably tucked away, before adding his and Barnet’s second a minute before full time.

Last Time Out

Newport had a fantastic away win at Morecambe last Saturday with two goals from Scott Boden the first of which came just a minute into the game. The home side were level when Shaun Miller found the net on the hour mark only for Boden to restore Newport’s goal advantage nine minutes later which they held on to until the end of the match and in turn increased the gap between themselves and the bottom two to seven points.

The man in charge

Lee Swabey from Devon is the man in charge for this fixture with his assistants Wayne Barratt and Mark Howes. The fourth official is Ronald Ganfield. Swabey took charge of four Newport games in the 2012/13 season, all at home, their 2-1 victory over Lincoln City, 3-1 defeat to Hyde, 2-0 defeat to Barrow and their 2-1 win over Telford.

Ticket information

The ticket office is open until 7pm on Friday 5th February and will be open from 10am up until kick-off on the day of the game.

The deadline for print at home tickets is 12pm on the day of the game.

Visit www.newportcountytickets.co.uk to purchase tickets online.

. hereFor ticket prices click

Around the league (all times 3pm)

Bristol Rovers v A.F.C Wimbledon

Cambridge United v Dagenham and Redbridge

Carlisle United v Accrington Stanley

Exeter City v Oxford United

Mansfield Town v Morecambe

Northampton Town v York City