Barnet vs Newport County Predictions

• Barnet were unbeaten at home in the National League last season (W18, D5).
• Newport lost 15 of their 23 away games in League Two.
• The Exiles failed to score in four of their final five games last term.

Early cup test for promoted Barnet

There is a solitary EFL Cup game on Tuesday evening as Barnet and Newport County open the new season in England at The Hive Stadium.

With nine teams from the Premier League playing in Europe next season, the EFL Cup has a preliminary round this season so Barnet and Newport are starting the season a little earlier than the rest of their League Two rivals.

Barnet won promotion from the National League as champions last term and have a chance to take on a direct competitor in a cup match this week, as Newport finished third from bottom in League Two – although they were seven points clear of the relegation places.

These sides look fairly evenly matched but home advantage makes a Barnet win stand out. The Bees went the whole league season unbeaten in the fifth tier last term, while County were poor travellers in League Two with 15 defeats in 23 games.

The hosts will be coming into the new season riding a wave of optimism after winning promotion and that may help them see off the Exiles, who failed to win any of their final nine games last term (D3, L6).

A 1-0 win for Barnet is the correct score pick as Newport failed to score in four of their final five games last season and the Bees kept three clean sheets in their final six home games. Barnet were prolific scorers in the National league last season but they are facing a higher level of opposition here, and one goal may be enough to win it.