Kabongo Tshimanga’s debut brace saw the Bees edge Oldham Athletic in a five-goal thriller at The Hive this afternoon.
Despite going a goal down just after ten minutes, two goals in the latter stages of the first-half sent Barnet ahead at the break.
Dean Brennan’s side were then down to ten men, which allowed Oldham to find an equaliser, but Tshimanga’s last-minute heroics secured three points for the Bees on home soil.
There was plenty of rotation for today’s early kick-off against the Latics. All three of our new additions were in from the start, with Phillip Chinedu slotting in at left back, Diallang Jaiyesimi sitting in the ten and Kabongo Tshimanga leading the line.
Anthony Hartigan captained the side and made his first start since our 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers at home in early December.
Jaiyesimi showed his intent from the first whistle, putting plenty of pressure on Matthew Hudson in the Oldham net, and forced him to kick the ball out for a Bees’ corner high up the pitch.
The visitors sent an early cross into the box and Jack Stevens went for the header, but the effort was blocked and the early scare wavered. Another chance fell for the Latics minutes later, but the linesman’s flag was up for offside.
Tom Pett slotted the ball into the left-hand corner of the net to give Oldham the lead on 11 minutes.
Nnamdi Ofoborh found himself in space to charge forward with the ball as the first-half progressed. Our number 28 was tripped, and the Bees awarded a free-kick, but Hartigan sent his effort wide of the target.
The momentum continued to swing in the favour of Michael Mellon’s side, with Cieran Slicker called into action to make a couple of crucial saves. The first was to punch away a powerful effort from Kane Drummond, before tipping a looping header from Donervon Daniels over the bar to deny the Latics the opportunity to double their lead.
The Bees found an equaliser with 36 minutes on the clock. Hartigan whipped in a free-kick and Danny Collinge sent it back across goal for Ryan Glover to poke it home to level proceedings.
On the stroke of half-time, another Hartigan set-piece was drilled into the box and this time, hit the hand of Tom Pett, with referee Darren Drysdale pointing to the spot and giving Barnet an opportunity to go into the break with the one-goal advantage.
Debutant Tshimanga stepped up to the spot confidently and fired his spot-kick into the top left corner, giving Latics’ shot-stopper Hudson no chance of saving and sending the Bees into the break on top.
Half-time: Barnet FC 2-1 Oldham Athletic
A half-time substitution saw Mark Shelton come on for the second 45, replacing our new number seven Jaiyesimi.
The first half chance of the second-half for the hosts came ten minutes following the restart, when Hartigan threaded a lovely ball into his midfield partner Shelton in the area, but our number 19 stretched and couldn’t connect with the ball.
Barnet found themselves a man down for the second consecutive game, when Nik Tavares was given his marching orders for denying a goalscoring opportunity to Oldham number nine Mike Fondop.
Dean Brennan shuffled the pack following thew sending off, with Joe Kizzi coming on in place of Hartigan.
Oldham took advantage of the extra man and after overloading the Bees’ box, found an equaliser through Stevens who got his second of the game.
Kane Smith was introduced in the 72nd minute, replacing Chinedu and ten minutes later, Oli Hawkins was the final switch of the afternoon, with Idris Kanu making way.
As the tie seemed to be fizzling out, The Bees threw everything at in, in the final few minutes and reaped the reward in the 87th minute.
Glover worked the ball well down the right-hand side and delivered the ball across the area, only for it to come ricocheting off the inside of the post and Tshimanga was there to slot it home from close-range to give the Bees the three points to add to their season tally.
Full-time: Barnet FC 3-2 Oldham Athletic
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Jaiyesimi (Shelton, 45’), Kanu (Hawkins, 83’), Glover, Hartigan (Kizzi, 66’), Tshimanga, Chinedu (Smith, 73’), Tavares, Ofoborh
Goals: Glover (37′), Tshimanga (45′ (pen), 87′)
Attendance: 2,715 (531 from Oldham)