Nationwide Conference
Saturday 30 November 3.00pm

By Callum Williams

AFTER two victories on the trot Barnet fans were expecting more of the same when the Bees visited Edgar Street on Saturday.

Barnet showed just one change from the side that beat Forest Green with Lee Pluck was recalled for Mark Arber, who may have now played his last game for the club.

Hereford, who had not scored in their last four games, started the brighter with more possession and pressure and created the first chance of the game with a nice sweeping move down the left, which was crossed in from the left on to the head of Steve Guinan, who scored at the near post.

After the first goal there was more Hereford intense pressure with another chance been created by the impressive left winger Paul Parry, which was this time headed over.

Barnet then came back into the game with three corners in row with Greg Heald heading over from one of them.

In the 25th minute, Barnet then had a penalty harshly turned down when Ismail Yakubu picked up Mark Gower cross on the edge of the box. He ran into the area and appeared to be bundled over by the last Hereford defender.

Much to the disbelief of the Barnet players and fans appeals for a penalty were turned down and Ben Strevens was booked for his troubles.

Within a minute, Barnet were two down as Parry went down and crossed for the unmarked Ben Smith to smash home from close in.

After that Barnet tried to get back into the game with Frazer Toms missing with a header and Gower going on his usual runs in a bid to unlock the home defence, but to no avail.

Then, within four minutes, Guinan had got his second when he rose at the back post to net with a downward header.

After the third goal, Barnet went looking desperately to get back into the game with Gower shooting well over and another, this time less clear-cut, penalty appeal being turned down for a foul on the unusually quiet Junior Agogo.

It was clear the Barnet had to improve their all round game in the second half if they wanted to stop a drumming.

Second Half

At half-time, Barnet made two changes with Craig Pope making way for Wayne Purser and Lee Flynn making his first start since August, replacing John Doolan.

In fact, Flynn's first contribution was to receive a booking as he tried to stamp some authority on the game.

The second half started much the same with Danny Naisbitt making two smart saves in opening four minutes from the sharp Hereford strikers.

Purser made one or two promising runs and Agogo looked far sharper in the second half, but it was Hereford who added to their tally in the 68th minute when Parry was once again left with acres of space out on the wing and produced a cross for Guinan to complete his hat-trich with another near-post header.

Both sides had their chances in the closing stages with Naisbitt making a couple of saves and Baker, his opposite number, making a good block from Agogo, who also saw a late effort squirm along the Hereford goal-line. All in all, it was a bad day all round for the Bees, who were found wanting in all departments.

Bookings

Hereford United

No bookings

Barnet

Lee Flynn for unsporting behaviour (49)
Frazer Toms for dissent (53)
Lee Pluck for unsporting behaviour (86)

Teams

Hereford United

Baker, Clarke, James, Tretton, Rose, Pitman, Smith, Galloway, Parry, Grant (Purdey 72), Guinan

Unused subs: Sawyers, Griffiths, Teesdale, Wright

Barnet

Naisbitt, Pope (Purser 46), Yakabu, Heald, Pluck, Price, Doolan (Flynn* 46), Gower, Toms (Midgley 54), Agogo, Strevens

Unused subs: Harrison, Soloman

* BBC text commentary said that Flynn replaced Yakubu, then Doolan. I took the latter as correct.