COACH Richard O'Kelly has backed his Hereford United players to respond positively for Saturday's important Nationwide Conference showdown with Barnet at Underhill.

The former Walsall and Grimsby striker, a key figure in United's push for an end-of-season play-off spot, said the players had responded 'brilliantly' after the damaging defeat at Scarborough.

"The players have showed a willingness to put things right on the training ground. We all had a long chat after the Scarborough game and, just like the rest of the season, I cannot fault their attitude and commitment to the club," he said.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Scarborough has left United with a mountain to climb from their last seven matches, with fifth-placed Chester having three points more and also a game in hand.

But O'Kelly said: "We are remaining positive about things. The top clubs will be playing against each other in the run-in and dropping points in the process. So we need to keep winning, taking advantage of when they slip up. We know we have to win as many matches as possible between now and the end of the season, and we will be taking each match as it comes."

United hammered the Bees 4-0 at Edgar Street in November thanks to a Steve Guinan hat-trick and a maiden club goal from Ben Smith.

And Hereford will certainly need to pick up maximum points at Underhill in what would be their first away win since Boxing Day.

Former Tottenham boss Peter Shreeves resigned as manager of Barnet on Monday night after just over a year with the club.

And Barnet coach Martin Allen, who has taken charge of first-team affairs until the end of the season, started with a 3-1 home win over Southport on Tuesday.

Hereford will welcome back central defender Tony James for the trip, while John Grant is still unavailable and it will be Jamie Pitman's last match before he starts a two-match ban for totting up 10 bookings.

O'Kelly added: "Graham Turner has spoken to a number of players about coming to Hereford but he's not been successful so far.

"He is working hard to bring someone in but it has to be the right person. On a couple of occasions we have spoken to somebody whose circumstances have then changed overnight."

Meanwhile, left-back Michael Rose has been named in the England National Game team for the friendly international in Holland on Tuesday and goalkeeper Matt Baker has been put on standby.

But Jay Lovett, who was Rose's full-back partner during Matt Clarke's absence with a knee injury, has completed a two-month loan spell from Brentford and now looks set to join Gravesend and Northfleet.

A goal from Rob Purdie earned United's Reserves a 1-1 draw in a friendly at Team Bath on Tuesday.