Goalkeeper Rob Beckwith, hoping to establish himself as Barnet's No 1 this season, misses tomorrow's pre-season friendly against Championship side Watford at Underhill with a recurrence of the groin strain that sidelined him earlier in the year.

 

With the League 2 season just eight days away, this setback for the 6ft 2ins tall keeper could provide manager Paul Fairclough with a headache. Physiotherapist Mark Stein was unable to put a time scale on the injury.

 

Club captain Lee Harrison, who played 40 games last season to 23-year-old Beckwith's 11, is an able deputy .... the 36-year-old has started in goal for the last two seasons when Ross Flitney and then Beckwith were unavailable.

 

Beckwith, formerly with Luton Town, has been restricted to just 28 League games in his six year career

 

Ran Kodach, the 22-year-old Israeli goalie who played in the second half against Leeds United but was told that he would not be offered a contract, gets another chance to shine against Watford.

 

The Bees plan to give Player of the Year Joe Devera a 45 minute run-out after his injury but Danny Hart, although recovered from a thigh injury, is likely to be held back as a precautionary measure for next week. Max Porter, who went off against Harrow Borough on Wednesday with a dead leg, is OK to return.

 

Two more trialists who may figure tomorrow are 22-year-old forward Felino Jardim, who has been training with Barnet, and 26-year-old centre forward Karim Rouani, a Frenchman who has played in the Belgium Second Division with Olympique Charleroi.

 

Jardim, a Dutch player with Sparta Rotterdam, hs rejected the offer of a one-yer contract with Cambridge United.

 

Dennis Signy