Barnet

Barnet boss Dean Brennan says striker Kabongo Tshimanga will be out "for a while" with a knee injury.

Tshimanga, 29, is League Two's leading goalscorer, with 10 goals in 13 appearances.

He played 80 minutes in the 1-1 draw at Crewe Alexandra on Saturday but Brennan admitted the forward was carrying the injury throughout, having sustained it last week against York City, and will now be rested for an unspecified period.

"He should never have played, but I asked him to play," Brennan told BBC Radio London.

"He'll get a break now, so you won't see him for a while because he's got a knee injury.

"To be fair to him, he soldiered through for us and played.

"Even at 1-0 [up], you can't take him off the pitch. I'd never take him off, ever, in a month of Sundays, but he wasn't 100% fit."

Brennan also said two players signed from non-league football, who came off the bench at Crewe, need to "get the detail right".

Isiah Noel-Williams and Jack Maskell have both largely been used as substitutes since joining and the Bees boss says they are still adapting to League Two level.

"When they come on, they've got to understand what we want from them," he said.

"They're jumping up a few levels. Noel-Williams was at Hemel [Hempstead Town] last year, in National League South, and young Maskell was playing at Darlington, which is National League North, so it's a big jump for them lads.

"They've just got to get the detail right."

Barnet boss Dean Brennan said his side's lack of ruthlessness in front of goal and the second-half red card for Isiah Noel-Williams were the key factors in their failure to beat Oldham Athletic on Saturday.

The Bees led 1-0 at the break through Kabongo Tshimanga's goal but were reduced to 10 men when Noel-Williams was sent off on 70 minutes.

Oldham found an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time via Mike Fondop's header.

"The red card is a farce," Brennan told BBC Radio London.

"The first yellow card is a yellow card. The second yellow card isn't a yellow card. It's changed the whole game.

"Obviously, it was blowing a gale [and] we didn't build a big enough lead [with the conditions]. We spoke about that at half-time.

"Then we had a glorious chance with Idris Kanu at 11 v 11 to make it 2-0 and we missed that chance. They're the turning moments in the game.

"Oldham kept going, we kept trying to defend and, in the end, with nine seconds over the allotted time, they've scored.

"We were just not ruthless enough in that first period, and then second-half the referee's decision changes the whole game."

Barnet sit second in League Two, three points behind leaders Salford City and with a game in hand, which comes on Tuesday against York City.

"Good side, York. Very technical. Experienced manager," Brennan said of their next opponents.

"[There's] serious investment at that football club. The Uggla family have thrown tens of millions into the club, so it's going to be a difficult game for us."

Barnet boss Dean Brennan has called on the club's board to allow him to beef up the squad if they are to sustain a challenge for automatic promotion from League Two.

Brennan was speaking after a 3-1 defeat at home by Swindon Town on Tuesday, in which they named only five of a permitted seven substitutes.

The Bees sit second in the table, but when asked if a top-three finish was the aim, Brennan said: "We're going to need more backing from upstairs if that's going to happen.

"We're one of the smallest clubs in the division - us and Accrington - and we need more support."

The defeat by Swindon ended Barnet's 18-match unbeaten league run, which dated back to March.

And Brennan believes they will need more strength in depth if they are to mount a promotion challenge.

"Today we've had four outfield subs and we can name six," he told BBC Radio London.

"I've got a young kid [goalkeeper Anthony Haralambous] on the bench who is 17. That's an issue for us and something we've got to rectify."

Brennan praised Swindon striker Aaron Drinan, who scored twice, and their goalkeeper Connor Ripley, but said his players let themselves down.

"We missed a lot of chances and we were caught on the counter attack," he said.

"Did we cause our own downfall? Yes, we did, especially at 1-0 [down]. We had four or five amazing chances to make it 1-1, and when that doesn't happen, and they make it two or three on the counter again, you're going to lose football matches.

"They were brilliant. Full credit to Ripley in goal, I thought he was outstanding, and Drinan was the killer at the top end.

"I think the players let themselves down and let me down."

Image source, Getty Images

Barnet striker Jack Maskell has been handed a three-game ban by the FA for violent conduct in Saturday's League Two victory at Bristol Rovers.

The incident involving the 22-year-old substitute happened in the 86th minute but was not seen by match officials at the time.

It was caught on camera, and Maskell subsequently admitted the FA charge. He will be unavailable for the Bees' forthcoming fixtures against Tranmere, Swindon and Oldham.

Maskell was signed from Conference North side Darlington in the summer where he scored 14 goals in 2025-26.

He has yet to start a league match for Barnet, making seven appearances from the bench.

Barnet boss Dean Brennan revealed he had "come for" Zac Williams at half-time in the game at Bristol Rovers on Saturday - before the defender's long-range strike set them on their way to victory.

The Bees were a goal down at the break but Adam Senior's equaliser on 79 minutes and a red card for Rovers' Tommy Leigh gave the visitors momentum.

And it was Williams who put them ahead, latching on to Jack Maskell's knock down and firing a 25-yard, left-footed shot into the net, via the underside of the crossbar.

"I was screaming not to shoot," Brennan told BBC Radio London.

"I was thinking just keep the pressure on them but he's hit an absolute beauty.

"I had come for Zach at half-time, I was frustrated with him. I said to him he needs to do better, he needs to do more.

"He's a little bit of a worrier, the kid. He worries a little bit about different things.

"He knows [Nikola] Tavares is back, but it doesn't mean he's not going to play. We took out [Romoney] Crichlow and we put him left-centre back.

"He did a great job for us. He was brilliant second half and wow, what a goal."

Kabongo Tshimanga's stoppage-time strike completed a 3-1 win for Barnet, who are now unbeaten in 17 league games, dating back to a home defeat by Newport County in March.

On-loan midfielder Jake Reeves believes League Two leaders Barnet have the ingredients to challenge for promotion this season.

The 33-year-old has gone up from the fourth tier on three occasions during his career - twice with parent club AFC Wimbledon and once with Stevenage.

"There are many different ways to do it," he told BBC Radio London.

"The common denominators of those promotion-winning sides were hard work and having each age group - you need youth, middle lads and experienced ones there. You have to have a nice blend.

"I feel like when it gets tough, the experienced boys really show up. When it's going really well, the young boys are feeding off that energy because maybe they haven't done it before.

"So those two aspects [are important] and obviously you need a manager {Dean Brennan] you respect and trust, and we've got that as well.

"I think we've got a very good formula to really give it a good go."

Graham Alexander to Preston North End, Robbie Savage to Peterborough? It's a big week for managerial movements in the EFL.

Two high-flying managers in League Two join Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff to analyse and debate the latest talking points.

Bristol Rovers' Steve Evans is fresh from celebrating a new club record in the supporters' bar, while table-topping Barnet's Dean Brennan reveals all on his regular arguments with the owner, his love for Irish breakfasts and how the Bees have risen back up.

The team discuss Alexander's move from Bradford to Deepdale, what Savage's arrival would do for Peterborough and Danny Ings' instant impact for Wycombe.

Listen to the full episode above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.