Nationwide Conference
02 October 2004

By Iain Dalziel of This is Bees

Barnet made it three league games without a win, yet remained top, following a 2-2 draw at home to mid table Woking.

For the Bees the team was back to normal, eleven changes from Tuesday's side that beat Stevenage. The only new player who played that night was Damien Batt, who was on the bench in place of Craig Dobson. This was the only change to the Bees squad from the one that drew at Scarborough last Saturday.

It was the Bees who started the brighter of the two sides. Grazioli looked dangerous from the off and Dean Sinclair's charging midfield runs were causing concern for the Cards defence. Grazioli was nearly put through one on one, courtesy of a Sinclair run. However, Sinclair was unfairly brought down. The advantage would have been much more beneficial for the Bees, but the referee gave a free kick.

The 'almost' type of chances Barnet were getting was the general way it went for the Bees in the first half. Barnet were commanding throughout, but Woking's Iraqi goalkeeper Shwan Jalal was giving very little trouble.

With half time looming it looked as if it would break at 0-0. Yet the prolific Giuliano Grazioli had other ideas. A delightful passing move by Barnet finished with the Bees marksman going into double figures. After the ball being laid off to him he coolly poked the ball past Jalal and into the bottom corner from twelve yards out.

Three minutes later and the half time whistle sounded. The Bees were in total control, but hadn't made the pressure pay to the extent they should have and they knew they would be in for a tough second half.

Second Half

Barnet became fully aware that this would be a tough second half when, against the run of play, Woking's big forward Raphael Nade drew the Cardinals level. The ex-Welling forward fired past Millard to send the travelling contingent wild and put Woking right back into it.

After Woking's equaliser however Barnet were back in control, but weren't, again, making it count. However, they were given a real boost thanks to a strange refereeing decision. Just inside the Barnet half King beat Cards forward Justin Richards to the ball and cleared it well. However, Richards made the tackle just as King cleared. King was caught, although momentum seemed to be a part of the collision. After much deliberation the referee gave the ex-Stevenage man a straight red card.

The Bees knew that this was a real chance for them to go on and increase their lead. After much persistence, eight minutes after Richard's dismissal Barnet were back in front. That man Grazioli was on hand yet again. Chasing on the high ball the striker latched onto it and with his toes knocked it over Jalal and into the net.

Barnet again got a reaction following their goal, as Woking looked for an equaliser. Despite being a man up the Bees suffered a blow to their side too. First inspirational captain Ian Hendon went off with an injury and shortly after he was joined by goal scorer Grazioli. Although Woking were fighting for an equaliser it was still Barnet who were on top. Damien Batt, taking over for Hendon looked useful on the right, playing similar long balls to that of the Bees captain.

Six minutes from time disaster struck. Again, despite Barnet being on top Woking drew level, but this time they were a man down. A seemingly harmless cross went to the back post where Barnet left back Simon Clist was there to meet it. However although it looked as if it would have been easier to clear it out, the makeshift defender stooped to head it away. However, the header had no real power and only went as far as the edge of the area. There it fell to Woking's skipper, former Arsenal midfielder Ian Selley. The experienced Selley struck the ball first time and it went straight into the bottom corner, wrong footing Millard. Once again the away support went wild, although slightly over the top in some cases.

After the goal Barnet bombarded the Cards goal. Sinclair charged through the defence before having his close range shot, from a tight angle, palmed out by Jalal. This fell to Graham just inside the box, but the Northern Irish winger could only strike it straight at Jalal.

Barnet again went close in the final minute. A ball into the box by Batt was headed goalwards by Hatch. However, somehow it was cleared off the line. A quick rebound was also cleared off the line, before it was cleared to disallow the advancing King a chance.

Although Barnet pushed on and piled pressure on Jalal's goal they couldn't find the all important winner and conceded the two points.

Barnet were left disappointed at the final whistle, whilst the Surrey based side were jubilant after battling on with ten men to grab a point. It was simply not Barnet's day. Despite scoring twice they never really looked their usual dangerous selves in front of goal.

Tuesday's trip to Exeter is sure to be anything but easy, but the Bees must go into it in a positive mood that they can take all three points from Devon.

Iain Dalziel's Man of the Match

Giuliano Grazioli, looked Barnet's most dangerous player throughout. Took both goals very well, eleven in eleven - marvellous! Unfortunate and worrying that he had to go off. We could find it tough at Exeter if he fails his fitness test.

Match Photos

Twenty-seven photos of the game by Chris Holland.

Bookings

Barnet

Sinclair
Graham
Lee

Woking

Canham
Boardman
Richards (sent off 62)

Ref: M Murphy (Coventry).

Teams

Barnet

Millard, Hendon (Batt 77), Yakubu, King, Clist, Strevens, Sinclair, Lee, Graham, Hatch (Bailey 90), Grazioli (Roache 79)

Unused Subs: Tynan, Lopez

Woking

Jalal, Jackson (Smith 72), Boardman, Oliver, MacDonald, Canham, Selley, Evans, Johnson (Ferguson 45), Nade, Richards

Unused Subs: Foyewa, Tiesse, Basso

Other Reports

BBC

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