The Bees’ five-game unbeaten run in the league came to an end at the Hive this afternoon, with a 94th minute goal from Notts County seeing Dean Brennan’s side frustratingly fall to defeat for the first time since the 6th September.
Only one change was made to the side that beat Tranmere Rovers away from home last time out, with Owen Evans starting in between the sticks, with Cieran Slicker suspended.
The hosts dominated the opening exchanges of the game, winning the first corner after only two minutes on the clock after an Anthony Hartigan free-kick was deflected out. Another corner was swung in minutes later, with the previous effort stinging the hands of Kelle Roos in the County net.
Idris Kanu took aim from outside the area in a half that presented little opportunity for either side, but his effort headed off target.
The closest chance of the first 45 fell for Dean Brennan’s side just before the half an hour mark. Ryan Glover found the feet of Lee Ndlovu in the area and our number nine turned and struck the ball goalwards, but Roos was there to deny our number nine from close-range.
Danny Collinge hit the post with an effort from inside the area as the half progressed, but the linesman’s flag was up for offside, with the flag being raised a second time when Adam Senior threaded the ball through to Callum Stead and our number ten was through on goal.
Despite being in the ascendency throughout the first 45, the Bees had nothing to show for it heading into the break.
Half-time: Barnet FC 0-0 Notts County
Barnet had to sustain a short period of pressure from the visitors following the restart, with Jodi Jones launching a free-kick from a dangerous position, that to the County midfielder’s frustration, was deflected over Evans’ goal for a corner.
Nnamdi Ofoborh fancied his chances from a similar position to that in the game against Grimsby Town, curling his effort on target from just outside the area, but Roos was able to push the danger away.
Tyreese Hall then smashed an effort onto the cross bar for the visitors, with both sides still searching for the opening goal.
Some good work from Glover down the right saw our number 15 pull the ball back for Ofoborh, but the latter frustratingly sent the ball over the bar.
The ball later fell to Crichlow who was positioned on the edge of the area and the 26-year-old struck it sweetly as it headed towards goal, but Roos was forced to tip the ball out and keep the tie goalless.
An in-swinging corner from Hartigan curled nicely towards goal, but the Notts County shot-stopper was there again to parry the ball off target and deny the Bees an opening.
Our first change of the afternoon came on the 67th minute, with Kane Smith coming on in place of Crichlow, with Oli Hawkins replacing Ndlovu with just over ten minutes of normal time to play.
With eight minutes added onto the end of the second-half and the deadlock yet to be broken, both sides turned up the tempo to search for that all-important goal.
Hartigan delivered a corner to the head of Hawkins who rose above the rest, but he couldn’t direct the ball on target.
The visitors struck on the 94th minute to seal the victory, with Spurs loanee Hall poking the ball past Evans from close range to give Notts County a late lead and ultimately the three points.
The Bees pressed for an equaliser up until the referee’s full-time whistle, but it wasn’t meant to be for the hosts at the Hive and attention now turns to Tuesday night’s Vertu Trophy fixture at the Hive against fellow League Two side Cambridge United.
Full-time: Barnet FC 0-1 Notts County
Line-up: Evans, Collinge, Senior, Ndlovu (Hawkins, 77’), Stead, Kanu, Glover, Hartigan (Shelton, 90+6’), Crichlow (Smith, 67’), Tavares, Ofoborh
Attendance: 3,875 with 1291 visitors