MATCH REPORT | BARNET FC 1-2 OXFORD UNITED

A late Gatlin O’Donkor goal saw the Bees fall to their first pre-season defeat at the hands of Oxford United at The Hive this afternoon.

The U’s opened the scoring inside three minutes of kick-off. The ball was played into the feet of Stanley Mills who found himself one-on-one with Taye Ashby-Hammond and the U’s winger slotted it past the Bees’ shot-stopper for the early advantage.

Ten minutes later, the visitors looked destined to double their lead, but the shot from Mark Harris didn’t have enough power on it and it was comfortably gathered by Ashby-Hammond.

As the 15 minute mark approached, some incredible work in the midfield from Charlie Lakin saw him track his man before nicking the ball off Oxford United’s Jack Currie.

Myles Kenlock curled an effort towards goal from out on the left five minutes later, but it headed wide of the target.

With half-an-hour on the clock, the Bees continued to search for the equaliser and new midfield addition Oisin Gallagher forced Simon Eastwood to parry the ball out for a corner with a powerful effort from the edge of the area.

Idris Kanu worked the ball well into the area and Kabongo Tshimanga connected with it from close-range, but Eastwood was there to deny our number 20, before the ball continued to be played around the Oxford box, but no amber and black shirt could find the back of the net.

With half-time looming, Ashby-Hammond came off his line, with Mills seeing it as an opportunity to grab a second for his side before the break, but the Bees’ shot-stopper recovered to steer the Oxford number 17 away from goal.

The last action of the first-half saw Barnet surge forward again, with Gallagher driving forward and playing the ball into Noel-Williams. Our number 32 then sent it to the back post where Adam Senior had arrived, but no Barnet shirt could poke home the cross back in front of goal from the full-back and the Bees went into the break behind.


Half-time: Barnet FC 0-1 Oxford United

Dean Brennan made one half-time switch, with Zac Williams replacing Nik Tavares before the referee signalled the start of the second 45.

The score was levelled less than ten minutes after the restart. Fantastic work from Gallagher down the flank saw him round the defender and get to the byline, before playing the ball across the face of goal and Senior was there to fire the ball into the roof of the net to level proceedings.

On the hour mark, Oxford looked to regain the lead quickly, but Ashby-Hammond denied Leo Snowden from close-range.

A double change on 63 minutes saw Tom Knowles and Jack Maskell come on in place of Gallagher and Nnamdi Ofoborh.

The Bees charged into the final third looking to take the lead, but the final effort from Maskell took a deflection from a teammate and went out for a goal-kick.

More substitutions were made, in which Kanu and Noel-Williams made way for Kane Smith and Will Wright.

Oxford netted a late goal in the 88^th-minute through former Barnet forward O’Donkor and the Bees had a great chance to end things on level terms when Kenlock threaded the ball through to Tshimanga, but Eastwood stuck his foot out to deny the striker and send his side home with the win.

 
Full-time: Barnet FC 1-2 Oxford United


Line-up: Ashby-Hammond, Collinge, Tavares (Williams, 45’), Kenlock, Senior, Ofoborh (Knowles, 63’), Gallagher (Maskell, 63’), Kanu (Smith, 72’), Noel-Williams (Wright, 70’), Lakin, Tshimanga