Halifax Town welcome Football League-aspiring Barnet to The Shay Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Chris Millington's side sit only six points behind Southend United, who occupy the final quarter-final playoff place, while The Bees are in fifth position in the standings.
Match preview
Despite a poor run of form, Halifax Town are still in the mix to be reinstated as a member of the Football League following the conclusion of the National League playoff final at Wembley Stadium on May 13.
Commencing the midweek round of matches, The Shaymen are eight places but only six points off the intensely-competitive playoff picture, despite losing four of their previous five league matches.
Millington's side have been victorious in seven of their 13 matches at The Shay Stadium across the current campaign accumulating an impressive tally of 23 points from 39 on offer.
Halifax progressed to the fifth round of the FA Trophy with a penalty shootout victory over lower-league opposition Harrow Borough on January 31, after the match ended 2-2 following 120 minutes of football.
Tuesday evening's hosts followed up their midweek success with a 1-0 victory over 10-man Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of Emmanuel Dieseruvwe's 68th-minute winner.
The Shaymen are situated in 15th position in the National League standings, but with only six points separating themselves and seventh-positioned Southend, you would have to be a brave or very confident individual to forecast the four teams that will line up in the quarter-final playoff sphere come the conclusion of the regular season.
Seeking a return to the Football League for the first time since 2018, Barnet have been one of the division's in-form teams since Halloween last year.
The Bees are undefeated in their last 13 league matches, dating back to being on the losing side of an extraordinary 12-goal thriller against Wrexham on October 8.
Dean Brennan's side have registered 15 victories from 27 matches throughout the 2022-23 National League campaign, including a recent hat-trick of wins that began with a comfortable 3-0 success over Chesterfield on January 28.
Barnet continued their ongoing momentum three days later with a victory over fellow playoff adversaries Eastleigh before dispatching Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park on Friday, down partly to a second-half brace from midfielder Dale Gorman.
With only the top two sides in the table - Notts County and Wrexham - scoring more goals than The Bees' 52 this season, Brennan's side will be buzzing at the opportunity of adding to that tally at The Shay Stadium on Tuesday.
Team News
After witnessing his side register a much-needed three points on Saturday, it is unlikely that Halifax Town manager Chris Millington will make any changes to his starting XI.
On the back of scoring the winning goal against Oldham Athletic, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe will again be deployed by Millington to lead the line alongside Millenic Alli at The Shay Stadium.
Following their first clean sheet in five matches, Jamie Stott, Jordan Keane, Jesse Debrah, Jack Senior and Tylor Golden will line up in a familiar-looking back four for The Shaymen.
With only Macaulay Langstaff and Paul Mullin scoring more goals than Barnet striker Nicke Kabamba throughout the current 2022-23 National League campaign, the in-form striker will spearhead the visitors' attack.
Supporting the aforementioned Kabamba in the final third will be the attack-minded trio of Idris Kanu, Harry Pritchard and David Moyo.
Halifax Town possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Stott, Keane, Debrah, Senior, Golden; Gilmour, Hunter, Wright; Alli, Dieseruvwe
Barnet possible starting lineup:
Walker; Okimo, Beard, Collinge, Wynter; Armstrong, Gorman; Pritchard, Moyo, Kanu; Kabamba
We say: Halifax Town 2-3 Barnet
After their 2-0 success at the beginning of the current league season, we predict that Barnet will complete a 2022-23 National League double over Halifax Town in a high-octane encounter at The Shay Stadium on Tuesday evening.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
