Barnet FC secured their second National League win in four days against Rochdale on Tuesday evening thanks to a double from Callum Stead.
It took less than a minute for The Bees to take the lead as Gatlin O’Donkor squared the ball into the path of Callum Stead who swept in the opener.
Rochdale came close ten minutes later when their strike went across the face of goal and narrowly went past the far post.
The Bees came close to a second after twenty minutes when two chances from close range were cleared off the line by the Rochdale defence.
Rochdale did find the back of the net minutes later but it was ruled out for offside.
Barnet were awarded a penalty with 10 minutes left of the half. Zak Brunt stepped up before his effort was well saved by the keeper.
The chances kept coming for the home side as Reece Hall-Johnson’s pass across the face of just went behind O’Donkor who was running in at goal.
Jordan Cropper was next to go for goal but his headed effort narrowly went wide from the corner.
HT: Barnet FC 1-0 Rochdale
Second half started brightly for The Bees as Adam Thompson came close to doubling our lead when his shot from close range went over the bar.
Josh Keeley was finally called into action with an excellent one handed save to deny Rochdale an equaliser on the hour mark.
Dean Brennan brought Nicke Kabamba on for Gatlin O’Donkor to try find our second goal.
With less than twenty minutes left on the clock Barnet doubled the lead. Hall-Johnson’s strike was palmed away by the keeper but only into the path of Callum Stead who tucked home his second goal of the evening.
That secured all three points for Barnet and moved The Bees into 2nd in the National League table. Dean Brennan’s side will now travel to Bromley for the Quarter-Final of the FA Trophy.
FT: Barnet FC 2-0 Rochdale
Starting XI: Keeley, Hall-Johnson, Okimo, Stead (88′ Maguire-Drew), Pritchard (90+3′ Armstrong), Hartigan, O’Donkor (66′ Kabamba), Wynter, Thompson, Cropper, Brunt.
Unused substitutes: Senior, Matejko
Yellows: Pritchard
Goals: Stead 1′, 72′
Attendance: 1,072 (129 away)
