Nationwide Conference
04 December 2004

By Robin Thomas

Barnet broke the record for the best points total at this stage of the Conference season after Lee Roache's 93rd minute goal sealed victory in a match which for a long period had threatened to turn the form book on its head.

Rarely in the club's history can Barnet have started a league match as such strong favourites, and that status appeared justified when they took the lead after just 2 minutes. Simon Clist delivered a fine cross from the left, but there was still much for Giuliano Grazioli to do as he rose 10 yards from goal to send a looping header over the stranded Leigh Goalkeeper Martin.

Many in the crowd would have expected the league leaders to go on from such a good start and register a comprehensive victory. However, Leigh had not read that particular script and it is to their credit that they refused stubbornly to accept what many onlookers would have considered to be the inevitable.

The North-westerners were given a helping hand by the referee in the 15th minute, however, when Dwane Lee was harshly adjudged to have handled Andy Roscoe's fierce shot. Karl Rose scored the resulting penalty, sending Scott Tynan the wrong way as he rolled the ball into the left-hand corner of the net.

The Bees players looked a little shell-shocked after this unfortunate setback. Their lowly opponents visibly grew in confidence, with Gary Williams a particularly lively presence on the left wing. If the equaliser was a surprise, Leigh's 2nd goal in the 21st minute was a stunning blow. After Rose's clever dummy to wrong-foot Yakubu, Gareth Stoker found himself unmarked as he bore down on Tynan's goal, and the combative skipper finished coolly inside the near post.

Now reeling, the Bees defence stood and watched when just a minute later Karl Rose was allowed a free header inside the six yard box. Fortunately for Barnet, the Leigh striker was unable to direct his header on target.

As the home faithful attempted to lift their team with impressive vocal encouragement, Barnet began to lift themselves and nearly benefited from a bizarre gift when Leigh centre back Barry Miller lashed the ball just past the left-hand post of his own goal.

Leigh managed to see out the remainder of the first half with few scares, and at half time it was plain that this match would prove to be far from the procession that many had predicted.

Secoond Half

Barnet made a determined start to the second period, and nearly scored the equaliser they craved from one of a succession of early corners when Grazioli's deft deflection from Hatch's header was clawed away by Martin.

Barnet were now exerting sustained pressure on the Leigh goal, and should have been awarded a penalty in the 57 minute when Miller diverted Strevens's powerful shot away from goal with the use of his right hand. Miller had displayed intent where, earlier, Dwane Lee had not, but referee Lee must have been fooled by the burly defender's play-acting as he held his face in mock agony.

However, this incident was soon forgotten by the Bees players when just 2 minutes later Hatch played an inviting square pass to Nicky Bailey who from 20 yards obliged with a sweet low strike past the despairing dive of Martin.

Things got worse for the visitors soon after when Miller brought his own eventful contribution to the match to a premature close by collecting his second yellow card for a tackle from behind on Grazioli.

Unsurprisingly, Barnet were now able to launch wave after wave of attack on the Leigh goal, but found their opponents, who defended courageously, to be in less than benevolent mood.

The game's fifth goal nearly arrived in the 68th minute when Hatch's downward header from a Clist corner bounced up and hit the crossbar before landing behind the relieved Martin's goal.

The young Leigh keeper was then forced to stretch every sinew as he tipped Grazioli's header over the crossbar after a splendid cross from Barnet danger man Graham.

As the game entered the closing minute of normal time, it appeared that Leigh may have seen off one final scare when Bees substitute Roache turned well in the box, only to see his shot turned around the post by Martin.

Gallant RMI found the Bees to have one final sting in their tail, however, when in the third and final minute of stoppage time the home side scored a contentious winner. The officials saw no problem with Simon King's challenge on the halfway line which left Leigh striker Rose in a crumpled heap, and in the same passage of play the Bees broke Leigh hearts with a dramatic winner.

Six foot four inch midfielder Dwane Lee managed to peel away to the far side of the penalty area as Clist played a deep ball from the left, ensuring he was up against Leigh's vertically challenged left back Roscoe. He won a simple header, which Strevens was able to divert into the path of Roache, who stretched and forced a shot inside Martin's near post. This sparked off wild scenes of celebration on the Underhill terraces, and paroxysms of rage in the Leigh dugout, where the visiting camp was overcome by a palpable sense of injustice.

Even the most ardent Barnet supporter must have felt a degree of sympathy for unlucky Leigh, whose fortunes will surely improve if they continue to play with such passion and determination. For the Bees, credit must be given for the attitude and will to win they exhibited in refusing to accept a single point from another vital league match. A less than vintage performance, perhaps, but another thriller for the fans store in the memory bank.

Quotes from the Manager

"It was breathtaking stuff but heartache for Leigh, I thought Leigh were magnificent today. This side have so many great qualities. The result at Aldershot was mega last week, but this was even bigger because of the events that happened in the game."

Bookings

Barnet

Bailey

Leigh RMI

Miller
Stoker
Rose
Holmes
Miller (sent off 60)

Referee: R Lee (Essex)

Teams

Barnet

Tynan, Batt, Yakubu, King, Clist, Strevens, Lee, Bailey (Lopez 89), Graham, Grazioli, Hatch (Roache 84)

Subs Not Used: Millard, Champion, McBean

Leigh RMI

Leigh RMI: Martin, Stoker, Miller, Holmes, Rose, Smith, Simm (Ashmole 90), Clarke, Roscoe, Shillito (Tench 83), Williams

Subs Not Used: Peyton, Morton

Other Reports

Barnet Times
Footy Mad
BBC
sportnetwork
soccernet
Leigh Journal

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Match Highlights on Conference Football TV

Links supplied by Brian Mackie.

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