I love a good trip to London, mainly because the National Express coach is £2 return and it's a great excuse for a pre-match drink and joke with mates. Unfortunately that was the highlight of yesterday after a disappointing match, but it was still a cracking day out on a scorching day in the capital. Around 1,000 Notts fans made the trip South and as I arrived at High Barnet tube station, black and white was all you could see swarming around the streets and pubs. When it came to the match however, the Bees swarmed about the pitch in a far more effective fashion than Notts.
The game started almost like a cup tie, with both sides playing at a fearsome pace and players throwing themselves into tackles. The first incident of the match was a controversial one, with Brendan Moloney marauding down the right flank and beating his man, who appeared to pull back the Notts full back. No penalty was given and I think that was the right decision on balance, although the view from the East Terrace was hardly brilliant. A clever corner created the first real opening, with Ben Davies backheeling the ball to Johnnie Jackson who's clipped cross caused havoc and was nearly turned into the net by a Barnet defender.
More controversy was on the way soon after, with Barnet midfielder launching himself into a tackle with Brendan Moloney. The Notts full back won the ball, but he didn't really need to as Hughes was never going to get near it as he flew over the top and into Moloney's standing leg. There were a few very tense moments for the Magpies as Moloney was left in a crumpled heap on the floor, but he was okay to continue which may have had some effect in the referee deciding that it was only a yellow card offence. A bit later in the match and Hughes would probably have been heading for an early bath.
Barnet then had their first chance, with Kasper Schmeichel doing well to smother a shot from dangerous winger Albert Jarrett. Notts broke forward and Lee Hughes had his first sight of goal, but flashed a shot wide from a narrow angle. This was just a sighter though and Notts' leading scorer came close seconds later. Karl Hawley danced past a couple of challenges and set up Hughes, who's rasping shot was tipped over the bar by Jake Cole. The match was now a thoroughly entertaining end-to-end affair played at a frantic pace as proven by the fact that Barnet broke and had another effort almost immediately, Albert Adomah fired in a shot that was deflected away by his own striker, John O'Flynn.
Schmeichel looks like some signing and he continued to impress, plucking a cross off the head of 40 year-old striker Paul Furlong. The referee, Darren Deadman, was never far from the centre of the action all match and he had another big call to make on the half hour mark. A floated ball in from Ben Davies appeared to be running just away from Lee Hughes, but with Daniel Leach tugging on his shirt, Hughes went to ground. No one will deny that he went down easily, but at the end of the day there was a clear shirt pull and Notts can be very aggrieved that no penalty was given and Hughes was booked for simulation.
Hughes was continuing to look dangerous though and tested Cole again, sweeping a shot into the 'keepers arms after Brendan Moloney went on one of his mazy runs, taking on half of the Barnet team in the process. There was another big call for the officials just on the stroke of half-time, with Hawley sliding Ben Davies in and the Notts winger crossing for Hughes to tap into the net. The Magpies' celebrations were premature however as Davies was ruled offside. I can't really pass judgement on this one as I couldn't even see Davies, let alone whether he was offside or not, but comments from fans after the game seem to point to it being a tight decision.
Half-time came and went and the second half continued in much the same vein. There was lots of thunderous tackles in midfield and some decent passing, but little by the way of goalmouth action created by either side. John O'Flynn had the chance to set up a decent looking opportunity for the Bees, but for some reason opted to try and take on another man and lost the ball, much to Notts' relief. O'Flynn did come close soon after with the game's best chance, Micah Hyde lifting a ball over the Notts defence and with the Bees' top scorer last year one-on-one, the outcome seemed inevitable. We didn't count on O'Flynn dragging the ball hopelessly and harmlessly wide of the target however and hearts could be taken back out of moths.
Notts manager Ian McParland was obviously not impressed with what he was seeing and withdrew Karl Hawley, who had a quiet game, to be replaced by livewire Luke Rodgers. The Bees won a corner which was cleared by Notts and possibly the game's most controversial moment was to follow. Neal Bishop hurtled forward with the ball and chipped a ball over that was set to put Luke Rodgers clean through on goal. Micah Hyde wasn't standing for this however, and leapt into the air and turned the match into a game of NBA basketball, pretty much catching the ball. A red card seemed inevitable but wasn't forthcoming, but lets be honest, if you can now be banned for diving, surely this is an equally ridiculous if slightly more blatant method of cheating?
Brendan Moloney looked to break the deadlock but had a shot deflected into the path of Ricky Ravenhill, who sliced his shot straight at Jake Cole. Both sides decided it was time to make a change and Yannick Bolasie replaced Albert Jarret for the Bees, whilst Craig Westcarr came on for Neal Bishop for the Magpies. Notts were now being adjudged offside every time they left their half and the match seemed to be ticking along to an inevitable stalemate. Obviously bored by the action on the pitch, a Barnet steward, who even looked as though he thought a lot of himself, decided to start a fight with the away fans. Four ejections later (including the steward himself!) and it was back to the match.
Notts had their best chance to wrap up the three points, Underhill boo'd as Albert Adomah lay stricken on the floor with Notts playing on (conveniently ignoring the fact that their side had played on for a good 30 seconds in the same position) and the ball being slid through to Ricky Ravenhill, but his shot was well saved by Jake Cole. This was to prove costly as Barnet produced a sucker punch deep into injury time. Stephen Hunt missed his clearance to allow Albert Adomah to find the space to cross and a poor clearance fell to the feet of substitute Jake Hyde, who scuffed a shot past Kasper Schmeichel to send Underhill into raptures.
Notts Co - Schmeichel, Moloney, Edwards, Thompson, Hunt, Davies, Ravenhill, Bishop (Westcarr), Jackson, Hughes, Hawley (Rodgers)
Barnet 1 - (Hyde 90+4)
Notts County 0
Att - 2,858 (900 Notts Co) |
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