Swindon Town face a big test to prove their weekend loss was a blip when they travel to playoff outsiders Barnet on Tuesday night.
Ian Holloway’s Robins came unstuck in a shock loss to relegation-threatened Shrewsbury Town, allowing the teams around them in the League Two promotion race to capitalise on their failure in Shropshire.
The State Of Play
Swindon’s defeat at the weekend saw them slip further back from League Two leaders Bromley, and fall into third place with Cambridge United leapfrogging them as a result.
It brought to an end a strong four-win streak which saw three clean sheets in convincing wins over many lower-half sides, including Oldham Athletic and Barrow.
The Wiltshire club have really struggled to win in games over promotion rivals, with losses to Bromley, MK Dons and Notts County on top of a double defeat at the hands of Salford City, which will give cause for optimism in North London.
The Bees have steadily built momentum despite some turbulence, which saw Dean Brennan suspended for a prolonged period, putting themselves within touching distance of the top seven heading into the midweek fixtures.
They will be especially helped by the two teams above them in Walsall and Grimsby Town playing one another, meaning claiming all three points could give them a key advantage against rivals for a promotion place come the end of the season.
Tactical Themes
A largely underrated part of Barnet’s season has been their defensive solidity, holding one of the best defensive records in the league, only bettered by their fellow promoted club in Oldham Athletic.
Danny Collinge has been their rock in the heart of that back four, playing all 31 games in the fourth tier this season, and despite a lot of rotation in his defensive partner, have been able to keep opposing offences at bay, helping goalkeeper Cieran Slicker to have a joint lead in the race for the golden glove.
However, this is arguably the biggest test for Barnet’s backline, coming up against one of the league’s best offensive units in Swindon, who have recently been overtaken by both MK Dons and Bromley as the top-scoring teams.
Aaron Drinan has been quiet by his standards by blanking against Shrewsbury and Newport County, but still remains the top scorer across all of England’s top four leagues, and is well supported by Ollie Palmer beside him.
In Holloway’s back three, he has seen a bit of rotation but stuck to regulars in Billy Kirkman, James Ball and Ollie Clarke, with the latter definitely capable of playing more advanced and enable a mid-game switch in tactics from Town.
Team News Snapshot
Ian Holloway spoke following the loss to Shrewsbury about his regrets not fielding a more attacking lineup, so this game, against one of the league’s better defences may prompt Swindon into a more aggressive approach.
Ryan Tafazolli will remain absent from the Robins’ plans, as will Harry Smith, who remains out for the season despite the forward being optimistic he can return before the season ends.
They will have more reinforcements coming back from the sidelines, with Michael Olakigbe recovering from illness and Junior Hoilett likely to be back from a calf issue which caused his absence against Salop.
Barnet of course will be without manager Dean Brennan, but look very healthy on the injury front, with Millwall loanee Jack Howland finally making his first appearance for the club after being eased into the squad.
The Deck Verdict
This will be a season-defining game for both sides, with Barnet definitely on the cusp of a top seven finish if they can come out on top, while a loss could completely derail any momentum Swindon have built up across recent weeks.
It is crucial for Swindon to make their mark, with their record against the sides challenging for the playoffs and promotion being very poor and that will not bode well should they secure a spot in the playoffs.
Barnet will feel confident with their defensive work, but leave a lot to be desired considering their home form this campaign, while Swindon have been very strong on their travels.
With how tight this contest can be, it may well end up being a draw, but Swindon may be the likelier of the pair to claim all three points at The Hive.
