Barnet welcome Oldham Athletic to The Hive Stadium on Wednesday night seeking to avoid a third successive National League defeat.
The visitors, meanwhile, are hoping to extend their unbeaten league run to four matches and move to within touching distance of the playoffs.
Match preview
After enjoying a 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions between the middle of September and early November, Barnet have since suffered back-to-back National League defeats to fellow promotion hopefuls Chesterfield and Gateshead, losing 2-0 to the latter last weekend.
Two second-half goals from Gateshead's Stephen Wearne condemned a below-par Barnet side to their first home defeat of the season, a week after suffering a 4-2 loss away against Chesterfield – a game in which the Bees were losing 4-0 before netting two stoppage-time consolation strikes.
Dean Brennan's side currently sit second in the National League table and five points adrift of leaders Chesterfield, but the gap to the summit could increase to eight points before Wednesday's encounter with Oldham if the Spireites beat Woking on Tuesday.
Barnet, who are experiencing their sixth successive season in the fifth tier of English football, have not lost three league games in a row since February, but avoiding that feat on Wednesday could prove challenging as they face an Oldham outfit who beat the Bees 3-1 at The Hive in their most recent meeting earlier this year.
Oldham head to North London in buoyant mood as they ended a four-game winless run in all competitions by beating Woking 1-0 away from home last weekend.
After a cagey first half, James Norwood tucked away his eighth goal of the campaign on the 65th minute mark, and the Latics eventually held on to claim all three points at Kingfield Stadium – their sixth victory of the season.
Since replacing David Unsworth as manager in the middle of last month, Micky Mellon has won two, drawn two and lost two of his six matches in charge of Oldham, and he sees his side sitting 10th in the National League table, four points behind the playoffs - at the time of writing - as well as 15 points adrift of Wednesday's opponents Barnet.
Oldham's away form has improved in recent weeks as they have picked up 10 points from a possible 15 available on the road, six more than they accumulated in their first five away matches, and another victory against Barnet would provide them with a huge boost in their quest to claim a playoff spot ahead of favourable-looking fixtures against struggling duo Ebbsfleet United and Boreham Wood over the next two weeks.
Team News
Barnet duo Jerome Okimo and Callum Stead will both be looking to force their way back into the starting lineup after beginning the last match on the substitutes' bench.
The potential inclusion of centre-back Okimo could see teenager Finley Potter make way, while Stead may take the place of Zak Brunt in the final third.
Gary Hooper, who has scored twice in five substitute outings in the National League since joining the Bees last month, will be pushing for his first start for the club in attack alongside top scorer Nicke Kabamba, who has found the net 13 times in all competitions so far this season.
As for Oldham, Alex Reid and Shaun Hobson will both be assessed ahead of kickoff after missing the win at Woking due to injury, while Hallam Hope is also a doubt due to illness.
However, defender Liam Hogan is available for selection after serving a one-match suspension last weekend, and the defender is expected to start at centre-back alongside either Hobson or Harrison McGahey.
Devarn Green will be pushing for a start after coming off the substitutes' bench to set up Norwood for the match-winner against Woking, and the winger could take the place of Dan Ward on the left.
Barnet possible starting lineup:
Walker; Oluwu, Collinge, Okimo; Revan, Hartigan, Pritchard, Coker; Kanu, Kabamba, Stead
Oldham Athletic possible starting lineup:
Hudson; Freeman, Hogan, Hobson, Kitching; Sheron, Lundstram, Gardner, Green; Fondop, Norwood
We say: Barnet 1-1 Oldham Athletic
Both teams will fancy their chances of claiming maximum points on Wednesday as they bid to boost their promotion hopes, but as there is little to separate these two sides, we can see the spoils being shared on this occasion in North London.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
