Routine home win please

Having scrapped our way to second place in the table and with a decent chance of staying there for a while and even establishing a lead, all of a sudden the F A Cup looks like an inconvenience. It will enable Jose Semedo to serve his one-batch ban and clear his points after his deliberate booking on Saturday for time-wasting over a free-kick. I suppose it also allows us to introduce a couple of youngsters to the squad, which Parky is doing this evening and it will allow a couple of the fringe players another match.

Having said all that, the next round could become a nothing match and might not be so welcome by the time it arrives, although a result there does throw up the prospect of a money-spinning third round tie. All-in-all then, I guess we shouldn't turn a potential cup run down although getting out of this division has to be the overwhelming priority if we are anywhere near to it come January and February.

I'll settle for a straightforward 2-0 home win this evening with a goal in each half. We need to keep our collective feet on the ground at the moment because in spite of our recent run of excellent away form, we still haven't been particularly good at home. I'm assuming c 7,000 attendance for this although I expect the Barnet turn-out will be 500 or less having played us at the Valley in cup competition only last year. A victory maintains the momentum and confidence and should allow us to prepare for Yeovil on Saturday. We need to play with more confidence and swagger at home. Parky needs to find a way to play counter-attacking football against sides who sit deep. Not easy but the key is pressurising them early and scoring which forces them to come out.

Come on you Reds!