MATCH PREVIEW | RADCLIFFE FC V BARNET FC | ISUZU FA TROPHY FOURTH ROUND

The Bees travel to Stainton Park, home to Radcliffe of the Northern Premier League Premier Division in the 4th round of this year’s Isuzu FA Trophy (13th January, 15:00 KO) with the prize being a place in the round of 16 and taking a step closer on the road to Wembley.

So, What’s The Buzz?
Barnet had league duties to fulfil on Tuesday night in their first home fixture of the year with the visit of Dagenham and Redbridge. The Bees were looking to bounce back from their defeat to Altrincham, just 3 days prior. Barnet didn’t have the best of starts and were punished in the 27th minute by in-form Josh Rees but The Bees got a vital equaliser in first-half additional time from a brilliant cross from new signing Jordan Maguire-Drew who found Nicke Kabamba. He put away his 18th goal of the league campaign and Barnet went into the break level.

Zak Brunt then put The Bees into a deserved lead as they took control of the match but as Dagenham started to fight back, it was another fine performance from a new arrival that earned all 3 points for Barnet in the form of goalkeeper Josh Keeley, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, with several important saves. With that win, Barnet remains 3rd in the National League table and their promotion hopes look healthy.

Focus now turns to The FA Trophy, a competition Barnet will want to have success in after their impressive run last year that saw The Bees reach the semi-finals, falling to defeat via a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw against Gateshead.

Club Profile
Club Name: Radcliffe FC
Nickname: The Boro
Founded: 1949
Ground: Stainton Park
Managers: Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley
League Position: 1st
Form: WWWLL

Opposition Report
Radcliffe FC, based in Greater Manchester, was formed in 1949 under the name Radcliffe Borough. Since then, the club has achieved several promotions and has been in the 8th tier or higher since 1992 with 3 promotions to tier 7 where the club currently plays with their most recent promotion coming in 2018-19 via the playoffs.

Radcliffe finds themselves top of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, 9 points clear of Rylands in second with a game in hand so the dream of a place in the 6th tier for the first time in their history is close to reality. Other notable achievements are a first-round proper FA Cup appearance in 2001 and they’re currently on their best run in the FA Trophy going into Saturday’s clash.

Key figures to be aware of going into this clash are Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley who took charge in the summer with their biggest achievement in management being 3 consecutive promotions with Salford City, top creator, Jordan Hulme, with 27 goal contributions in 26 league games, and captain, Nicky Adams.