Braintree Town manager Alan Devonshire hopes there are no more injury problems ahead of his team’s home game against Vanarama Conference Premier leaders Barnet tonight.

The Iron boss is keeping his fingers crossed that there won’t be any more players reporting knocks in the wake of their 0-0 draw with FC Hapifax Town on Saturday as he admits his squad is still down to the bare bones.

Midfielder Dan Sparkes will have his fitness tested after an ankle problem kept him out at the weekend, but longer-term injured players are still on the comeback trail and Devonshire said there are members of his team still playing through knocks at the moment.

It may not be the ideal preparations to face a Barnet side who sit four points clear at the top of the league and have won five and drawn one of their six games on the road this season, including a 2-1 victory at Forest Green Rovers last weekend.

However, the Iron have lost just once on their home turf in the current campaign and Devonshire expects his team to make it tough for the Bees.

He said: “They won again on Saturday but it will be different for them coming to our place on a Tuesday night.

“The pitch will be zippy and I expect the tempo to be really good.

“I just hope the walking wounded are OK because what we had out on Saturday was near enough all the players that I’ve got available.

“I’m not expecting anyone else back before this weekend at the earliest.

“Maybe Dan Sparkes will be coming back in and hopefully Sean Marks isn’t that far away, but Painey (Matt Paine) is still three or four weeks away.”

Tonight’s game will see a strong former West Ham United presence in the technical areas of the respective teams.

Added to Braintree’s Hammers connection of Devonshire and his assistant Keith Rowland will be Barnet boss Martin Allen and the Iron boss is looking forward to pitting his wits against the experienced Bees boss.

“Hopefully we’ll see a good crowd out because it should be a good game,” added Devonshire.

“I know Martin (Allen) well and there’s a lot of respect between us so it should be a good one.”