Barnet Football Club

BARNET FOOTBALL CLUB

ARCHIVED ARTICLE
PLEASE CHECK WITH THE CLUB FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION

BFC LADIES TOO STRONG FOR HAMMERS

After getting their first point of the season last Sunday, The Bees were hoping to build on that with yet another league cup victory this time against Premier Division South side West Ham United.
The Bees started the half the much brighter side and although it was against lower opposition looked much improved compared to their performances over recent weeks. Just eight minutes into the game, Barnet were awarded a soft free kick which was taken by Abbie Prosser, who shot directly from the set piece scoring the Bees’ first goal of the game on just nine minutes.
 Barnet continued to control the game until the sixteenth minute when Cherie Rowlands was forced into her first save of the game which she could only tip away from an April Bowers effort. However Barnet were not willing to let West Ham control for too long and almost doubled their lead on eighteen minutes with a Holly Sandow shot being blocked by Becky Merritt.
The Bees had yet another opportunity on twenty five minutes this time with a cross which was headed into the arms of grateful West Ham goalkeeper Toni Anne Wayne. However she was unable to think about it for too long when just three minutes later Zoe Lance put the ball into the box for Vicky Boardman which forced the Hammers keeper to make another save.
With thirty two minutes of the game gone Barnet were denied a soft penalty for a push on Danielle Murphy.
The Bees continued to dominate the game which paid off on forty one minutes when Zoe Lance’s fifteen yard effort doubled Barnet’s lead.
After dominating much of the first half, Barnet went in with a well-deserved two nil lead.
Barnet began to truly assert their dominance around ten minutes into the second half with another good opportunity for Vicky Boardman.
After the break in play The Bees were unable to keep their attacking momentum.
The Hammers made another substitution on the hour mark with Zoe Lipley-Hinton being replaced by Katie Bottom with the Hammers also becoming more attacking by pushing both their full backs further up the pitch. This however created some gaps in the defence meaning Barnet were able to go three up with a Vicky Boardman effort on sixty four minutes. The Hammers’ heads seemed to drop after this which enabled the Bees to keep control of the game. Barnet were truly in their comfort zone when some creative play by Helen King set up Vicky Boardman who forced Toni Anne Wayne into yet another good save.
West Ham’s last attacking effort came with only the minutes of the match remaining. A Sam Rowland header was seen past the post by Barnet’s goalkeeper Cherie Rowlands.  The frustration was starting to show on the field with Becky Merrit being booked for kicking the ball away after the Bees were awarded a free kick.
Barnet were able to comfortably see off what remained of the game emerging victorious by three goals to nil and looking likely to progress into the knockout stages of the competition.