Barnet meet newly-promoted Eastleigh for the first time in their history on Saturday, with the Bees looking to extend their lead atop the Conference.

After spending nine seasons in the Conference South prior to promotion last term, the Hampshire outfit had been playing in the Isthmian Premier Division – level seven of the English league pyramid.

Top of the pile after 13 games, Barnet saw their four-point lead cut to two with Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Braintree Town. The Bees will be keen to further enhance a run which has seen them go three without defeat after consecutive games without a win last month – the first and only time that has happened this term.

The Bees have several injury concerns, with Luisma Villa, Jack Saville and Mauro Vilhete all returning against Braintree Town on Tuesday.

Joint-top scorer Lee Cook missed out on Tuesday and Sam Muggleton was forced off following a strong challenge.

Captain Charlie MacDonald is also sidelined with medial ligament damage to his knee and Keanu Marsh-Brown has been unavailable with a recurring thigh issue, meaning Martin Allen could be without four first-team squad members for the Spitfires’ visit.

The visiting Spitfires will travel to The Hive suffering from an injury crisis which could see them without as many as six players, and manager Richard Hill admits he has ‘never known’ anything like it.

He told The Southern Daily Echo: “I’ve never known it this bad for injuries. We’ve got 17 outfield players, when fit, and four of them – including Ben Wright (knee) – are injured, plus we’ve lost our No 2 goalkeeper Lewis Noice (broken ankle).

“So out of a squad of 19, we’ve got five out and one (defender Dean Beckwith) who has only just come back.

Continued Hill: “We finished last season with 12 outfield players but I expected it then because it was the end of the season. You don’t expect it now. I’ve not been able to field the same side as often as I’d like and that’s down to injury.”

The 2014 Conference South winners will also be without striker James Constable (foot ligament damage) and defender Jamie Turley (arm), whilst former Bee Jack Midson (shoulder) and forward Yemi Odubade (hamstring) are both doubts.