Barnet boss Martin Allen has given his players three days off this week with the instruction to complete their Christmas chores ahead of a period which will define their season.

The Bees will play five times in just 15 days over the Christmas and New Year period, and with that in mind, Allen afforded his squad a mini-break until yesterday (Thursday) with the aim of re-engergising the players ahead of the hectic Christmas schedule.

On Saturday the Bees will travel to Conference South outfit Concord Rangers in the FA Trophy first round and with his options already limited due to a spate of unavailability issues, Allen has turned his focus to working with the club’s high-flying Under-18s side and a handful of players on the first-team periphery.

Allen said: “I told them, get your Christmas cards done, get your Christmas tree and get your Christmas presents and wrap them up, because when Christmas comes we have got what is going to be the most amazing Christmas period coming up.

“We have got five games in two weeks and that is going to be a significant period which is really going to define our whole season.”

Barnet lost 3-2 to Dagenham & Redbridge at The Hive on Tuesday as part of their preparation for the FA Trophy tie and Allen admits he has some big decisions to make regarding team selection.

He explained: “It is a real dilemma and I have got a consideration to make for the paying public. I am fully aware of [my responsibility] to put out and prepare the best team and I do what is best for all the supporters and the football club.

“I am never going to be able to please everybody.”

Sam Muggleton, who has been sidelined since September with a shin fracture, featured as a substitute in the friendly and will be on the bench again on Saturday, with Allen revealing Under-18s defender Joe Gater would be handed his debut.

Keanu Marsh-Brown, who has recently returned from training with League One side Peterborough United, also featured against the League Two side as he bids to return to first-team action.

Bondz N’Gala was sent off in the Bees’ 2-1 victory at Torquay United on Saturday – a result which saw Barnet re-open their nine-point lead at the Conference summit – and the defender joins a growing list of injury concerns ahead of the weekend.

“Cooky (Lee Cook) has got swelling on his knee, so he is having some time off,” revealed Allen. “Luisma (Villa) has had a bad back so I have given him some time off and he has gone back to Spain to see his family.

“He was hoping to go back for two days to see his mum and dad. I probably had the biggest hug I have had from any player this season when I told him he could go home for a week.

“The last thing I told him before he left my office was that when he comes back for the Chester game (December 20) I want some magic. He promised me he would bring back some magic.”

Player-coach Jon Nurse was withdrawn after suffering a knee injury at Plainmoor and underwent an MRI scan on Monday, whilst David Stephens is still feeling the effects of bone bruising on his foot, despite being pressed into action as a substitute against the Gulls.