Salop make a trip down to the capital this weekend to take on Dean Brennan’s newly-promoted Barnet. 

Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents ahead of kick-off.  

Key Players 

Experienced striker Ollie Hawkins has been Barnet’s biggest threat so far this season. The 33-year-old has bagged two goals in the opening six games and is likely to lead the line for the Bees on Saturday afternoon.  

Midfielder Anthony Hartigan is another key player to watch. The former Mansfield man may not contribute many goals, but he played a key role in helping Barnet to a record points finish in the National League last season and controls play from the middle of the park.  

The Manager 

Dublin-born Dean Brennan is the man in the dugout for Barnet. He joined the side in 2021 after a successful spell at Wealdstone and has now taken charge of over 200 games for the side, boasting an impressive 50% win record.  

He guided the Bees to a second-place finish in the 23/24 season before taking them to the National League title and securing a first promotion to the Football League in seven years.  

Form  

Barnet have had a mixed start to life back in the Football League, picking up seven points from their first six games. After going unbeaten at The Hive for the entirety of last season, they have yet to pick up a win on home soil this season, losing two and drawing one in their opening three games.  

After starting the season with three consecutive defeats, the Bees come into Saturday’s game unbeaten in three league fixtures. They secured back-to-back away wins at Swindon and Cheltenham before drawing 1-1 with Colchester at home last weekend.  

Head-to-Head Record  

Our first encounter with Barnet took place at Underhill in 1992, with the game ending in a 2-2 draw. Overall, we have played each other 29 times, including our four encounters with one another in our solitary season in the Conference, now the National League.