Nationwide Conference
24 January 2004

By Iain Dalziel

Barnet recorded there first league home win of 2004, putting in a professional display, beating Margate 3-1 at Underhill.

On Friday the Bees made two new signings, goalkeeper George Bankole from Crewe on a three month loan, and twenty two year old winger Simon Clist, on an eighteen month contract from Bristol City. Both players went straight into the starting eleven with Bees number one Shane Gore dropping to the bench. The Bees made other changes, with Pitcher leaving this week in came Clist and Gamble returned from suspension to replace Lopez.

The game began slowly. Neither side showed any early signs of a goal and it looked quite clear that Margate were more than willing to play like this throughout. After a dull opening ten minutes Barnet started to get going. It was down the right hand side where the Bees looked most threatening. Both Yakabu and Hendon were making darting runs, but weren’t delivering a good enough final ball.

The game was proving to be quite a non-event with no real opportunities. However, the Bees went close on twenty five minutes when Grazioli got behind the defence, but failed to connect cleanly with the ball, which gently rolled into the arms of Smith. However, the conference top scorer was just warming up, and soon he scored the game’s opening goal.

After being given a very similair opportunity to his earlier chance he made no mistake. The Islington born attacker got his body around the ball before putting it past Smith into the bottom right hand corner. The goal was much need and from that moment on the game changed completely.

Barnet were now looking hungry and kept pushing forward, putting the ‘Gate defence under a lot of strain. In the Barnet midfield new boy Clist was playing an influential role, winning almost everything. After a good ball by Clist the Bees thought they had doubled their lead. Clist’s dangerous ball appeared to miss everyone although Hatch tried his hardest to get a touch it went into the net. Yet the celebrations were short-lived as the linesman flagged for an offside against Hatch.

Still the Bees continued to persist and once again got there reward. On forty minutes Strevens laid the ball of to left back Simon King, still searching for the ‘wonder goal’ he promised the Bees fans when he arrived. However, despite getting a lot of power behind the ball King’s effort was parried away by Smith.

The Bees didn’t give up though as Gamble collected the ball out wide. Looking up the on-loan Reading man chipped the ball into the box where the unmarked Giuliano Grazioli headed home his twenty fifth goal in all competitions this season.

Barnet’s second looked as though it would kill Margate off, however after this goal Margate began to try and push forward. Ex-West Ham and for a short time Barnet attacker Emmanuel Omiyimni was leading Margate’s attack and on the stroke of half time nearly got Margate back into the game. Following a good run he was all but one on one with Bankole. However, he caused the new Bees ‘keeper no problems, firing wide of the post. Shortly after the half time whistle blew and the Bees went off with a two goal lead.

Second Half

Barnet started the second half the better of the two sides and it was easy to see that Margate were going to struggle. Barnet’s most dangerous player was Liam Hatch the former Gravesend striker was proving to be a real handful as he went in pursuit of his first Barnet league goal.

However, despite Barnet having the better of the play Margate snatched a goal. A long ball hoofed up field was not properly cleared by Maddix and fell into the path of John Keister.

Maddix then committed to Keister who played a lovely through ball to Omiyimni, who was now behind the Bees back line with only Bankole to beat. Bankole was quick off his line and just as he was about to go down to make the save Omiyimni stabbed it underneath the experienced Nigerian to make it 1-2.

However there was to be no great fight back from Margate as the Bees continued to pour forward in numbers. Hatch was still taking Margate apart down the right hand side.

After several runs Hatch was finally stopped, although extremely unfairly, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Porter’s rash tackle gave the Bees a penalty at home for the second week running. Despite missing last week the captain Ian Hendon once again stepped up. Showing great character the Barnet skipper fired the ball into the roof of the net to kill of any chance of a comeback.

After the third the Bees were just coasting. Hatch was still pressing but just couldn’t find the net. At one point the tall striker even tried to punch the ball into the net! Unfortunately for ‘Hatchy’ it wasn’t to be and the scores remained at 3-1 until the end.

An all in all very good display from the whole Bees side, although Hatch was outstanding and so were debutant Simon Clist and Giuliano Grazioli. Chris Plummer was solid at the back and will be sorely missed during his three match ban. Strevens also put in another great display, the Bees longest serving player arguably playing the best football of his career.

After a mixed week for the club it was necessary to pick up three points, and with Aldershot being hammered 4-0 at lowly Farnborough the Bees go back up to third. After the FA’s decision to throw Barnet out of the FA Trophy there is no match for the Bees until Aldershot, in front of the Sky cameras on February 6th. Hopefully the long rest will benefit the players, who come the Aldershot game will be fully fit and ready to clinch some more valuable points.

Iain Dalziel’s Man of the Match

Liam Hatch

Match Photos

Thirty three photos of the game by Chris Holland.

Quotes from the Manager

(Of Grazioli) "He trains hard every day, he keeps his head down. It was a good team performance and when he gets those opportunities he does tuck them away."

Bookings

Barnet

L.Hatch, 19, unsporting behaviour
D.Maddix, 42, unsporting behaviour

Margate

E.Omoyinmi, 33, unsporting behaviour
J.Keister, 45, unsporting behaviour
D.Murphy, 73, unsporting behaviour
J.Saunders, 88, unsporting behaviour

Referee: Lewis, G

Teams

Barnet

A.Bankole, I.Hendon, S.King, C.Plummer, D.Maddix (M.Williams 60), I.Yakabu, L.Hatch, J.Gamble, B.Strevens (G.Lopez 86), G.Grazioli (T.Taggart 82), S.Clist

Unused substitutes: S.Gore

Margate

P.Smith, J.Leberl, B.Edwards, G.Porter, A.Clarke (D.Watson 63), D.Annon, J.Keister, D.Murphy, J.Saunders, C.Stadhart (J.Sigere 72), E.Omoyinmi

Unused substitutes: C.Mitten, P.Abbott, C.Whitby

Other Reports

Nationwide Conference
Barnet Cartoons

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