The top two go head to head in League Two this Boxing Day, as County travel to in-form Barrow looking to complete a league double over the Bluebirds to move nine points clear of them in the promotion chase.
Friday night’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Notts County at Edgeley Park made it back-to-back wins for Dave Challinor’s side, and it’s now just one defeat in 18 league games for the leaders, with 14 wins in that period.
The rest of the top four also won over the weekend, meaning the gap at the top remains six points. Elsewhere on Boxing Day, Wrexham travel to Swindon Town, whilst Mansfield Town host Grimsby Town at Field Mill.
High-flying Barrow, meanwhile, come into this game on an incredible run of seven straight wins in League Two, a run that has catapulted them into the automatic promotion chase. Last time out, they again showcased their promotion credentials with a 3-1 win at 5th place Crewe, with former County man Ben Whitfield scoring twice.
Since we last met:
It was a game of firsts when these two sides met back in August – Louie Barry’s first County goal securing a first win of the new season for County at the fourth attempt, and inflicting a first defeat of the season on Pete Wild’s side, who had begun the campaign with two wins and a draw.
That result at Edgeley Park was part of a run of just two wins in eleven games for the Bluebirds, suffering defeats away at Mansfield Town and Grimsby Town, to leave them as far down as 15th after 13 games.
Since that loss at Blundell Park on October 3rd, however, Barrow are unbeaten in League Two – and have won each of their last seven games in the competition to fly up the league table. They currently hold the best away record in the division, picking up 24 points from their 13 games on their travels, whilst they remain unbeaten at home with five wins and four draws at the SO Legal Stadium.
They currently boast the best defensive record in the division, conceding just 17 times so far, with George Ray, James Chester and Niall Canavan forming a formidable and experienced back three. There will be a couple of familiar faces for County fans too – forward Ben Whitfield comes into the game having scored four goals in his last four games, whilst fellow former title-winner Elliot Newby has been a regular feature for the side at left-wing-back.
Everything so far all points to a side geared up to go the distance in the promotion chase, as Pete Wild looks to guide his side into the third tier for the first time since 1970.
Match Stats:
- County are unbeaten in their last seven Boxing Day fixtures, winning six of them. Our last Boxing Day defeat came in 2015, a 2-1 home defeat to Harrogate Town in the National League North.
- This will be the 96th competitive meeting between the two sides. County hold the historical advantage, winning 52 encounters to Barrow’s 33. Our last two trips there, however, have ended in 1-0 defeats.
- Kyle Knoyle has now set up a goal in each of his last three league appearances, all of them for Kyle Wootton.
- After scoring against his former side, Wootton now has ten goals in his last 12 appearances in all competitions.
