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Coca Cola League Two PIRATES PLUNDER A POINT By Gerard Butler at Underhill It was a case of so near yet so far, as a goal two minutes from time by former Underhill favourite, Junior Agogo, denied his former employers an opening win on their return to the Football League. It had seemed that Richard Graham's 76th minute goal, as he pounced on an error from Rovers' debutant keeper Scott Shearer, would be enough, but instead the Bees were punished for a rare mistake of their own. Paul Fairclough sprung a surprise with a 4-5-1 formation with Giuliano Grazioli as the lone striker against his former club, with the Pirates opting for a 5-3-2 set up. It took just two minutes for the hosts to produce a decent chance as Graham weaved along the left and slipped the ball through to Dean Sinclair, whose rising drive was tipped over the bar by Shearer. Enjoying more possession than their opponents, the positive build up of last season continued against a decidedly direct side, and continued to yield chances, as Grazioli's shot from Nicky Bailey's cross was blocked by Christian Edwards, followed by a Sinclaoir strike which flashed across the face of goal in the 11th minute. There was a blow for the visitors as their captain, John Anderson, was injured and replaced by Craig Hinton, and they finally created a clear chance in the 19th minute when a long clearance was nodded back by Richard Walker to the advancing Craig Disley, but he cracked his shot wide of the target from 15 yards. The Barnet back four looked well organised, and was coping admirably with the threat provided by Walker and Agogo for Rovers, whilst Barnet were beginning to find it tougher to get through an imposing rearguard for the visitors. That said, in the 24th minute, Dwane Lee ran deep into the area and sent in a perfect low cross which Ben Strevens just failed to convert from close range, and he was in action again just before the break when he retrieved a Graham free-kick from the far side, with Grazioli and Ismail Yakubu going close with headers. The half time whistle blew on a positive display which just lacked a goal, which on balance, Barnet would just have deserved. Second Half After the interval, the Bees continued to enjoy more of the play, but it was Rovers who had the half's opening chance, but Walker's header from Stuart Campbell's free-kick was easy for Scott Tynan. The hosts responded, as Graham continued his invention on the left wing by charging down an attempted clearance and spread play to Grazioli, whose 30 yard volley drifted wide. Hendon then went close with a cross-cum-shot on the hour, before Agogo staged a dangerous break along the left, winning a free-kick, but again Campbell's delivery was straight at Tynan. Set pieces looked a likely source of the breakthrough for both of the sides; Yakubu's 68th minute header looping over from a Graham corner. Rovers opted for even more height in attack by bringing on Jefferson Louis, who featured for Forest Green and Woking in the Conference, for Walker in attack, with 70 minutes played. However, it was Barnet who took a 76th minute lead. Shearer raced to collect a long through ball but missed and was stranded near the edge of the box, allowing Graham to sweep home a low angled shot from 15 yards despite the efforts of two defenders on the line. In the final analysis, though, Ian Atkins' final substitution proved to be the most decisive, as diminutive winger Ryan Williams came on for Jon Bass, in a move to 4-4-2 for the last ten minutes. After a couple of scares, a failure to close him down on the left flank gave him time to send a pinpoint cross to the far post for the lurking Agogo to nod downwards into the net with 88 minutes on the clock. Late changes saw Grazioli and Strevens make way for Jason Norville, making his debut, and Liam Hatch. All too soon, it finished 1-1; not a perfect day, but an encouraging one, as Barnet proved they could cope with, and at times outplay, a solid League Two outfit ahead of one of the tests of the season, Northampton away on Tuesday night. Quotes from the Manager "I'm so so proud of my players today. I thought they were absolutely magnificent. Anyone here today would have seen that my team will have a lot to say on what goes on in this league this season. "We have worked hard to get in this league and we are going to enjoy ourselves. I believe the best is yet to come. The players are absolutely gutted. They know they really won the game and maybe that is a lesson to us. We will learn from it." Bookings Barnet No bookings Bristol Rovers No bookings Ref: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire) Teams Barnet Tynan, Hendon, King, Yakubu, Charles, Bailey, Graham, Strevens (Hatch 89), Lee, Sinclair, Grazioli (Norville 86) Subs Not Used: Flitney, Gross, Soares Bristol Rovers Shearer, Ryan, Edwards, Elliott, Anderson (Hinton 11), Bass (Williams 80), Disley, Campbell, Lescott, Agogo, Walker (Louis 70) Subs Not Used: Forrester, Gibb Match Stats Possession: Shots: Corners: Fouls: Bookings: Other Reports Barnet Sites Bristol Sites Independent
Sites If you know of any reports please email me the link on info@bfcsa.co.uk Other League Two Scores Cheltenham 2 - 1 Bury Want to write Match Reports? If you are interested in writing match reports for bfcsa.net then click here for more information. |
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