The Bees host Harrogate Town tomorrow at The Hive in matchday 18 of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two season, looking to push for three points at home.
Barnet:
It was one point apiece last Saturday after the Bees drew a fourth league game in a row away to Gillingham.
It was a tale of two halves with a promising start for the Bees, some great passages of play and an all-important strike from Callum Stead, putting them ahead.
Gillingham responded with an equaliser on the stroke of half-time after being awarded a free-kick.
A quiet second-half followed with a little action in the final third, substitutions, and blocked shots.
The goal from Callum Stead in the 17th minute and the conceded free-kick left the match 1-1 at the final whistle.
Britt Assombalonga and Rhys Browne both made their returns to the Bees side after injury last week and will be available for tomorrow’s tie.
Barnet’s last five results:
Gillingham 1-1 Barnet FC
Cambridge United 0-0 Barnet FC
Barnet FC 2-2 MK Dons
Fleetwood Town 2-1 Barnet FC (FA Cup R1)
Barrow AFC 2-2 Barnet FC
From the dugout:
Conor Smith’s pre-match interview can be viewed here.
Harrogate Town:
Harrogate Town sit in 23rd place in the Sky Bet League Two table, second from the bottom and have recorded four wins, three draws and ten losses so far this season.
The club most recently faced top of the table Walsall, welcoming them to The Exercise Stadium last Saturday.
The Sulphurites were unable to break through their opposition’s back-line, with two goals being put past goalkeeper James Belshaw.
The tie ended 2-0 to Walsall, with Harrogate maintaining their position at the bottom end of the table.
Harrogate Town’s last five results:
Harrogate Town 0-2 Walsall
Notts County 1-1 Harrogate Town
Harrogate Town 3-1 Newcastle United U21s (Football League Trophy)
Harrogate Town 0-1 Oldham Athletic
Mansfield Town 3-2 Harrogate Town
In the opposition dugout:
The Sulphurites play under the management of Simon Weaver who has been in charge since 2009.
Weaver came into the club as a player-coach originally, hanging his boots up as a player in 2011 and focusing on his role as the gaffer, making him the longest standing current manager in the EFL pyramid.
A number of key players are currently unavailable for Harrogate Town as they experience a bout of injuries in their squad.
However, Weaver’s side will be boosted by the return of Stephen Duke-McKenna, Jacob Slater, and Jack Evans who might feature in Saturday’s line-up.
Harrogate Town are expected to focus on the strength of their backline, attempting to deny the Bees some crucial chances.
As a result, our attacking players will be particularly key for securing those three points tomorrow.
One to watch:
Despite his time away from Harrogate Town’s side whilst representing his national team of Guyana, Stephen Duke-McKenna remains Town’s top goal scorer.
Duke-McKenna has secured five goals in his sixteen appearances for the Sulphurites in League Two so far.
The Liverpool-born 25-year-old played in the Queens Park Rangers youth team, eventually coming through to the first team and having a series of loan spells elsewhere.
Duke-McKenna joined Harrogate Town in 2024 on a two-year contract from Queens Park Rangers.
Last time the two sides met:
The two sides last met in 2019 in the National League, where Harrogate Town came out on top, beating the Bees by two goals to one. Muldoon, who still regularly appears in Town’s lineup, was the one to open the scoring, with Smith following suit four minutes later.
David Tutonda struck in the 36th minute to get a grasp back in the game, but a goalless second-half saw the Sulphurites hold onto the win.
COYB
