The Bees fell to defeat at the hand of promotion-pushing Swindon Town under the lights this evening, ending their six game unbeaten run and not being able to capitalise on results elsewhere in the division.
Senior struck first in the firs-half to give the Bees a deserved lead, but an Ollie Clarke double in the second-half sent the Robins back to Wiltshire with all three points.
Dean Brennan made one change to the side who started Saturday’s game against Cheltenham Town, with Nik Tavares getting the nod over Kane Smith who took his place on the bench.
Oli Hawkins was back among the substitutes, with Diallang Jaiyesimi not in tonight’s squad.
The visitors started brightly, looking to unlock the Bees’ defence early on, especially down the right-hand side, but Danny Collinge and Nik Tavares coped with the pressure well from kick-off.
Swindon’s first shot on target was a tame effort from Ollie Clarke that rolled into the hands of Cieran Slicker, for the visitors only shot on target of the first 45.
The deadlock was broken by none other than Adam Senior after ten minutes. The Bees progressed the ball beautifully up the pitch and Idris Kanu looped the ball over to the far post from the left-hand side to find Mark Shelton, who put it on a plate for our number five who volleyed it into the roof of the net on his weaker foot.
With little action in either box until the half-an-hour mark, Nnamdi Ofoborh looped the ball into the back post and it came back out to him on the right-hand side. Our number 28 fizzed the ball across the byline, but there was no black and amber shirt there to poke it home to double our advantage.
The former Swindon Town midfielder came agonisingly close to doubling our lead minutes later when the ball fell to him outside the area. He struck and the ball cannoned off the post, with Connor Ripley blind to where it was heading.
Ian Holloway’s side enjoyed a spell of dominance as half-time loomed, passing the ball around the 12-yard box, but not testing the Bees’ defence too much.
The momentum swung back in Barnet’s favour again before the break, with Anthony Hartigan and Shelton both sending powerful efforts towards goal one after another, but there were enough Swindon shirts in the way on both occasions.
Half-time: Barnet FC 1-0 Swindon Town
Shelton had a golden opportunity following the restart to give the Bees a two-goal cushion and make it harder for Swindon to get back into the game. Collinge threaded the ball through to the midfielder who only had Ripley to beat in the Robins’ net, but he guided it frustratingly wide of the post.
Swindon found an equaliser on 50 minutes through captain Ollie Clarke who slotted the ball past Slicker to level proceedings.
The league’s top scorer Aaron Drinan connected with a cross but could only head it down into the hands of Slicker and down the other end, Senior couldn’t get the right touch on the ball from a Collinge long throw at the back post as both sides looked for their second of the night.
Clarke scored Swindon’s second of the night with over an hour on the clock, with Fletcher Holman setting up the Swindon skipper.
Dean Brennan’s first change of the tie saw Oli Hawkins replace Kabongo Tshimanga up front.
Moments later, a double change was made, with Jack Howland and Ben Winterburn entering the action and Hartigan and Kanu’s game ending just before 70 minutes.
Swindon looked to increase their lead when Michael Olakigbe played the ball into the area, but much to the frustration of the 1000+ travelling fans behind the goal, it evaded every Robins’ shirt in the box.
The visitors had the ball in the final third yet again shortly after, with Slicker coming out and misjudging the path of the oncoming the ball, but they were unable to capitalise on having an empty net to shoot at.
Another double switch came with less than ten minutes of normal time to play. Britt Assombalonga and Kane Smith came on in place of Mark Shelton and Joe Kizzi for the final moments.
The fourth official signalled an additional seven minutes at the end of the 90 and the Bees continued to look for a late equaliser. Smith played the ball into the box and there were plenty of black and amber shirts in the box, but Senior could only head it into the hands of Ripley as time ran away from the hosts.
Barnet’s final chance came when Winterburn threaded the ball through to Howland, who was positioned dangerously in the box, but the Milwall loanee couldn’t latch onto it and referee Craig Hicks blew his full-time whistle moments later.
Full-time: Barnet FC 1-1 Swindon Town
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Kanu (Howland, 69’), Glover, Hartigan (Winterburn, 69’), Shelton (Assombalonga, 81’), Tshimanga (Hawkins, 64’), Tavares, Ofoborh, Kizzi (Smith, 81’)
Goals: Senior (10’)
Attendance: 2,880, with 1118 visitors