MATCH REPORT | BARNET FC 1-3 SALFORD CITY

The Bees suffered their second consecutive loss in the league as Salford put three past them at the Hive.

Dean Brennan made one change to the side that fell to defeat to Chesterfield, with Ben Winterburn replacing Kane Smith.

Joe Kizzi made his long-awaited return to the squad after an injury sustained in August 2024.

The opening five minutes of the tie saw neither side create any opportunities in front of goal, but Salford progressed the ball into the final third on several occasions, pressing the Bees’ defence from the first minute.

Ryan Glover delivered the ball into the area from the left-hand side for the Bees’ first half chance of the tie, but Adam Senior couldn’t get the connection he would’ve liked with it and Matt Young eventually rose to claim for the visitors.

Salford’s first shot on target came on 18 minutes, with Daniel Udoh’s strike having little power on it and being comfortable for Cieran Slicker to gather.

Glover drove with the ball at his feet into the area again and laid it into the oncoming Nnamdi Ofoborh, but there were enough Salford bodies on the goal line to block the shot.

A couple of consecutive corners followed for the Ammies, but nothing to trouble the Barnet back-line.

The best chance of the half for the hosts came just after the half-an-hour mark. The ball fell nicely to the feet of Callum Stead and he only had Young in the Salford net to beat, but he instead decided to lay the ball off to Britt Assombalonga to his right and with the ball taking a deflection on its way to the number 27, the chance fizzled out.

Salford struck ten minutes before half-time. Josh Austerfield’s initial effort was parried away, but the Salford number 17 was in plenty of space and unmarked to slot the rebound into the right-hand corner.

The Ammies doubled their advantage five minutes later and it went down as a Nnamdi Ofoborh own goal. The number 28 attempted to nick the ball from the feet of Callum Cessay, but it instead rolled into the back of the net for Salford’s second.

Half-time: Barnet FC 0-2 Salford City

Dean Brennan made one change to the side that fell to defeat to Chesterfield, with Ben Winterburn replacing Kane Smith.

Ndlovu’s first taste of the action saw him send the ball across the goal mouth, but there were no amber and black shirts in a position to poke it home.

Salford had a couple of early opportunities in the second 45 and scored their third through Daniel Udoh.

The Bees underwent a triple change midway through the second-half. Rhys Browne came on for Assombalonga, Hawkins replaced Stead and Joe Kizzi made his long-awaited return, with Nik Tavares making way.

Ofoborh tried his luck from his favoured area and struck just outside the box, but the shot took multiple deflections before finding the hands of Young.

The Bees were awarded a couple of free-kick in the Salford half, but both Shelton and Ofoborh sent their efforts over the bar.

The visitors were denied a clean sheet when the Bees found a consolation goal with a minute of normal time to go. Senior sent the ball into the back post and after Browne found two of his headers from close-range saved by Young, Hawkins got the final touch to send the ball into the back of the net.

The Bees turned up the tempo when the fourth official’s board showed six minutes of additional time, with Browne sending the last action of the game into the hands of Young, but it was too little to late and Salford took all three points back to Manchester.

Full-time: Barnet FC 1-3 Salford City

Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Stead (Hawkins, 64’), Kanu, Glover, Winterburn (Ndlovu, 46), Shelton, Tavares (Kizzi, 64’), Assombalonga (Browne, 64’), Ofoborh

Goals: Hawkins (89’)

Attendance: 2,220 with 115 visitors