Nationwide Conference
20 March 2004

By James Hall

Manager-less Barnet held Conference leaders Chester to a hard fought goalless draw in a game of few chances at Underhill.

Both sides had chances to win the game but neither could find the finishing touch despite the leagues top two marksmen being present.

With Martin Allen's surprise mid-week move to Brentford, Barnet were left with Adrian Whitbread and club physio Damien Doyle in charge. They picked a team with few changes from last Saturday with the exception of veteran Danny Maddix replacing Chris Plummer in the starting eleven.

Both sides started brightly and despite the Bee's having more possession than the visitors, they could not find a way to unlock the best defence in the league. Chester were content to sit back and invite the host's on to them, opting to try and hit the Bee's on the break. On the half hour they nearly did so with the first real chance of the game. Danny Collins fed David Cameron with a neat pass that Daryl Clare could only hit straight at Ademola Bankole.

This sparked the game into life and was then the hosts turn to squander two presentable chances. Ian Hendon first saw his powerful free kick deflected wide before Grazioli also had a snapshot deflected wide by Scott Guyett. The blues then had the ball in the back of Barnet's net after Darryn Stamp had slammed a great ball into the top corner from close range. Stamp, however, was denied by the assistant referee who had adjudged the striker to be offside.

Joe Gamble then saw his free kick blocked before Ismail Yakubu fired the rebound wide. Then in First half stoppage time came the game's best chance. Danny Collins put in a good cross for the blues and Clare rose the best to head the ball back across the goal, but Stamp somehow forced the ball wide from 5 yard's out, with the goal at his mercy.

Second Half

The host's started the second half brightly with Hendon feeding Grazioli with a deep cross which the leading goal scorer could only hit wide. Then came the games most controversial moment. Bankole's long kick pitted Grazioli in a race with blues defender Phil Bolland. Grazioli beat the defender to the bouncing ball on the edge of the box and as he shaped to volley it, the Chester defender appeared to handle the ball away.

Referee Jarmail Singh waved away Bee's protests and with Bolland last man, he would have had to send the former Oxford player for an early bath. Chester replied when Clare showed why he is hot on Grazioli's heels for the 'Golden Boot' with a good sharp turn and shot that went just wide.

With the leaders playing fro the draw, Barnet finished the game strongly. Firstly Ben Strevens curled a long-range shot just over Iain Turner before squandering the Bee's best chance. The ball broke kindly to the former Wingate & Finchley front man, and his low first time drive was expertly saved by Turner.

Man of the match

Danny Maddix - Expert total football from the former QPR star.

Match Photos

Twenty seven photos of the game by Chris Holland.

Quotes from the 'Manager'

These were the first post-match comments of caretaker coach, Adrian Whitbread, since the departure of Martin Allen.

"We did ourselves proud after what have been a difficult few days. We have taken a point from the team I feel are going to be the champions and that is very pleasing indeed.

"We are confident [of reaching the play-offs] and I don't think we will have any problems but there is a long way to go and you can never quite tell what football has around the corner for you."

Prophetic words indeed. As five minutes later he went to tell Tony Kleanthous that he was joining Martin Allen at Brenford, along with Damien Doyle the physio.

Ian Hendon, the club captain, said of this:

"We will have a meeting on Monday and will then train as normal and get on with our usual jobs for preparation for the next game at Forest Green Rovers.

"This was a great point today against Chester. The lads have been together long enough to know what we are doing and, regardless of who is in charge, will carry on with their objective of getting Barnet promoted."

Bookings

Barnet

No bookings

Chester

A.Smith, 18, unsporting behaviour
P.Bolland, 24, unsporting behaviour
K.McIntyre, 30, unsporting behaviour

Referee: Singh, J

Teams

Barnet

A.Bankole, I.Hendon, M.Redmile, S.King, D.Maddix, I.Yakabu (M.Williams 82), J.Gamble, B.Strevens, S.Clist, G.Grazioli, L.Hatch

Unused substitutes: C.Plummer, T.Taggart, S.Gore, G.Pearson

Chester

I.Turner, P.Bolland, S.Guyett, A.Smith (M.Twiss 61), J.Heard (C.Lane 24), D.Williams, K.McIntyre, D.Collins, D.Clare (K.Rapley 89), P.Carden, D.Stamp

Unused substitutes: B.Davies, A.Woods

Other Reports

Barnet Cartoons
This is Bees
Barnet Times
Nationwide Conference

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