Crawley v Barnet preview
Friday 12 January 2018 14:16, UK
Crawley will be without midfielder Josh Payne for their Sky Bet League Two clash against Barnet.
Payne is serving the second game of his three-match suspension after he was dismissed for a late challenge on Stevenage's Alex Samuel. Dennon Lewis and Ibrahim Meite have returned to Watford and Cardiff respectively following the end of their loan spells.
Elsewhere, there are no fresh injury concerns for manager Harry Kewell to contend with.
Barnet remain without a host of first-team players for their trip to Sussex. Goalkeeper Jamie Stephens (hamstring) has not featured since Boxing Day, with Craig Ross set to continue in his absence.
Defender Harry Taylor (metatarsal) and forward Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro (knee) will also be unavailable to manager Mark McGhee. Full-back Andre Blackman should be fit to feature after coming off early in the Bees' last game, but long-term absentees Elliott Johnson (knee) and Dave Tarpey (knee) are out.
Opta stats
The Red Devils' 2-1 win over Barnet in the reverse fixture in September ended a run of four League Two encounters without victory over the Bees (D2 L2); they last beat them in consecutive matches in April 2012.
Barnet haven't lost away at Crawley since their first ever meeting in the Football League in December 2011 (1-0), winning one and drawing one of the two visits since.
After losing six of their first seven home games this season (W1), Crawley have just lost one of their last six on home soil (W3 D2).
The Bees have lost seven of their last nine EFL matches (W2), including each of the last four. Only Chesterfield (one) have won fewer games on the road in League Two this season than Barnet (two).
Simeon Akinola has netted in each of his two League Two appearances against Crawley Town (two goals); against no other side has he scored more than once for Barnet in League Two.
Jimmy Smith has had a hand in a goal in each of his three trips to Barnet with Crawley in the Football League (three goals, one assist), netting both goals in their 2-1 win earlier this term.
