Herts Senior Cup
Semi Final
13 February 2004

By Callum Williams

A YOUTHFUL Barnet squad, boosted by a few senior players, crashed out of the Herts Senior Cup after letting a two-goal lead slip in Friday's semi-final at Boreham Wood.

After some early pressure by their Ryman League opponents, Barnet took the lead on five minutes with a well-struck effort from Solomon Henry from the edge of the penalty area.

Wood then enjoyed a 30-minute period of dominance during which Barnet keeper Ricky Millard made one particularly outstanding save from Winston.

The home side then succumbed to a sucker punch when an unmarked Tony Taggart cashed in on some slack Wood defending and put the Bees 2-0 up from close range.

Many were now predicting that Barnet would press on and win the game comfortably, but Wood were thrown a lifeline when Jamie Smith was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area and Baker put away the spot-kick.

There were about 10 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half, due mainly to Wood losing their keeper, and during this time Millard had to make another smart save from Winston.

It was Millard's final action of the game as he gave way to Shane Gore at half-time.

Second Half

The form of Gore and Matt Redmile were the only two bright spots of an abject second-half performance from Barnet. Gore made a string of outstanding saves to keep his side in the game as Wood cranked up the pressure, while Redmile was so often the last line of defence as Barnet were frequently stretched to breaking point.

But neither could do anything when Baker hammered home a powerful volley from the edge of the area nine minutes from time.

As the game went into extra time, there only ever looked like being one winner as Wood mounted wave after wave of attacks, winning a succession of dangerous corners.

They should have taken the lead in the first period of extra time with a second controversial penalty, awarded when only the assistant referee spotted an alleged infringement in the Barnet six-yard box. This time Baker missed out on his hat-trick by blazing his spot-kick over the crossbar.

Barnet failed to cash in on this let-off and Wood finally grabbed their deserved winner seven minutes from the end of the second period of extra time when Gradley's effort bounced back off the Bees' crossbar for Okolie to force the ball home from close range.

All in all a highly disappointing performance from Barnet against a fired-up Wood outfit, who now go through to meet Watford or Hitchin in the final.

Photo

Courtesy of Martin Hough

Bookings

Barnet

Not known at time of writing

Boreham Wood

Not known at time of writing

Referee: Not known at time of writing

Teams

Barnet

Ricky Millard (Shane Gore 45), Mark Rooney, Brett Freeman, Jamie Smith (Micheal Deane 113), Matt Redmile, Marc Cumberbatch, Mark Williams, Luke Smith, Liam Hatch, Tony Taggart, Solomon Henry (Neil Thompson 97)

Subs not used: Daniel Lukeman

Boreham Wood

Imber (Drake 41), D Grime (Ettienne 60), Hawes (Oshin 68), Moran, Reeks, Okolie, Baker, Gradley, Winston, Kean, N Grime

Subs not used: Bradley, Gabriel

Other Reports

Boreham Wood Official Site
Borehamwood Times

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