Barnet v Burton Albion preview

Oster: Facing late fitness test

Team news ahead of Friday night's League Two clash between Barnet and Burton Albion at Underhill.

Barnet will check on John Oster.

The former Everton and Sunderland midfielder has been out since October with a calf injury but is close to returning to action.

Striker Collins John remains on the sidelines, however, after undergoing hernia surgery last week.

Head coaches Edgar Davids and Mark Robson will have to make at least one change to the side narrowly beaten at Dagenham last week as Krystian Pearce's loan spell from Notts County has come to an end.

Jonathan Fortune or Andy Iro are set to step into the back four in Pearce's absence.

Ishmail Kamara is still recovering from a shoulder operation and fellow striker Steve Kabba remains sidelined by a knee problem.

Burton will be without the suspended Lee Bell.

Bell received his fifth yellow card of the season during the first half of the 1-1 draw at Chesterfield last weekend and the hard-working midfielder will serve a one-match ban in north London on Friday night.

Bell's absence could pave the way for John McGrath to make his first start of the season.

Manager Gary Rowett last week spoke highly of the club skipper as he closes in on a return from a serious foot injury and believes the long-serving player is near to regaining full fitness.

However, the Brewers boss could recall Jack Dyer - just as he did the last time Bell was ruled out through suspension at the start of the campaign.

"We have a few options in terms of replacing Lee, but first we have to decide how we will approach the Barnet game," said Rowett.

"My gut instinct is to go back to a 4-4-2 formation and try to play a more attacking game than we have done in the last two away games, but it hasn't worked out that well for us on the road. The last time we tried it, at Wycombe, we lost 3-0.

"It's a difficult one because we would like to be more entertaining than we have been in the last two games, but at the same time we want results."