Preview: Wealdstone vs. Barnet - prediction, team news, lineups

Barnet interim manager Dean Brennan will take the Bees into a clash with the side he led to promotion to the National League on Saturday, as they make the trip to take on Wealdstone.

Back-to-back wins have seen the visitors climb to 14th place after a tough start, while their hosts remain in 19th place despite earning a victory of their own last time out.

Match preview

After a poor start to the season, Barnet sat on just two points from seven National League outings, triggering the dismissal of Harry Kewell.

The board acted quickly to appoint head of football Dean Brennan as interim boss, and he has overseen an impressive turnaround, with the Bees earning 14 points from the last seven games.

They now head into Saturday on the back of three straight wins, having firstly posted an impressive 2-1 away win over Stockport County thanks to goals from Joe Widdowson and Reiss Greenidge, before a late Rob Hall winner saw them defeat Aldershot Town by the same scoreline on home turf.

Brennan's men made it three on the bounce on Tuesday night, as they defeated seventh-tier Hayes & Yeading United 2-1 away from home in cup action, with Serhat Tasdemir and Mason Bloomfield on the scoresheet.

Having now climbed away from the drop zone and up to 14th spot with consecutive league victories, the Bees will be keen to continue building momentum with another victory on their travels on Saturday.

Brennan will return to a familiar place, having guided Wealdstone to the National League in the 2019-20 season.

The manager turned down an approach from Barnet but eventually departed last season to take up a head of football role at The Hive, while The Royals narrowly avoided the drop and maintained their fifth-tier status.

They have not enjoyed the best start to the new term though, having won just three of their 13 league games, sitting in 19th spot with 14 points as a result.

Stuart Maynard's men will hope to take confidence from a vital win last time out though, as a Matt Buse goal made the difference in a home clash with title-chasing Grimsby Town

Team News

Wealdstone will be boosted by the signing of left-sided player Jamie Mascoll from Bolton Wanderers heading into Saturday's clash, with the 24-year-old set to come straight into the squad.

However, winger Dennon Lewis, who featured in each of the first 13 league games of the season, departed for Boreham Wood on Tuesday.

Their line will be led by Josh Umerah, who has netted six league goals this term, while Matt Buse will keep his place after scoring the winner against Grimsby.

Barnet deployed similar teams for the two recent league outings, and, after consecutive victories, Brennan is again unlikely to make wholesale changes.

Right-back Jordan Thomas will return to the squad, after he served a suspension last time out.

Despite only netting one league goal so far this term, Adam Marriott has been trusted to lead the line recently, and Brennan should continue to stick with a man who is important to their attacking efforts.

Wealdstone possible starting lineup:
Wickens; Cook, McAvoy, Okimo, Tavares; Dronfield, Charles; Jackson, Buse, Mascoll; Umerah

Barnet possible starting lineup:
Oxborough; Thomas, Taylor, Greenidge, Widdowson; Brundle, Woods; Mason-Clarke, Flanagan, Fonguck; Marriott

We say: Wealdstone 1-2 Barnet

Although Wealdstone managed a surprise victory over one of the league's standout sides last time out, we cannot quite see them halting Barnet's momentum on Saturday.

The Bees have been rejuvenated under Brennan, and we would not be surprised to see him get one over on his former side.

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