MATCH REPORT | BARNET FC 3-2 BARROW AFC

Goals from Kabongo Tshimanga, Mark Shelton and Callum Stead saw the Bees come from behind on home soil to beat relegation-battling Barrow and move within two points of the play-offs.

Dean Brennan made one change to the side that beat Fleetwood Town on Easter Monday, with Idris Kanu returning to the starting XI and Joe Kizzi taking his place on the bench.

Barrow took the lead inside just three minutes of kick-off in North-West London, with Josh Gordon firing the first effort for the Bluebirds past Cieran Slicker to give the visitors from Cumbria an early advantage.

The Bees looked to respond and started to progress the ball quickly into the final third on numerous occasions, with Phil Chinedu proving a threat out on the left, but the Bees’ came closest inside the first ten minutes of the tie when Ryan Glover found Nnamdi Ofoborh on the edge of the area, but this afternoon’s captain dragged it wide of the left post.

Still looking for his first goal in a Bees’ shirt, Idris Kanu pulled the ball back into Crichlow who was positioned just inside the area, but his powerful shot was blocked by a blue and white shirt.

The Bees continued to dominate proceedings after the early disappointment and Glover latched onto a delivery into the box from Adam Senior, but he couldn’t guide it on target.

Barrow’s goalscorer, Gordon, tried his luck from out wide and no Bees’ defence to get past, but his effort was wide and went out for a goal-kick. Minutes later, the Barrow number 25 was set up by teammate Danny rose as he searched for a second for his side, but he couldn’t direct the shot goalwards.

As half-time loomed, Kabby found himself with the ball in the area and plenty of time with it, deciding to lay it into the path of Senior who struck the ball cleanly, but there were too many Barrow shirts in the way.

The response Barnet needed came in additional time before referee Simon Mather blew his whistle to signal the halfway stage. Mark Shelton met a delivery from Glover and guided it goalwards and the final touch came off Kabongo Tshimanga for his tenth goal in amber and black and an all-important equaliser.

Half-time: Barnet FC 1-1 Barrow A.F.C

Shortly after the restart, Tshimanga found himself almost able to connect with a loose ball and charge down on goal, but Wyll Stanway in the Barrow net came out of his area to smother.

It wasn’t long before the Bees found themselves ahead on home soil. A sublime ball from Callum Stead found Shelton who fired home a deserved goal to give the amber and black army the lead early in the second-half.

The same double change made on Monday was copied against the Bluebirds, as Kane Smith and Diallang Jaiyesimi were introduced, replacing Kanu and Chinedu.

With Barnet looking to increase the gap on the visitors, Ofoborh set up Tshimanga who struck from out on the right, but the forward’s shot took a deflection and headed out for a corner.

Our leading goalscorer was inches away from getting his second brace in as many games when he curled an effort towards goal, but taking a deflection on it’s way, the ball was tipped onto the post by Stanway in the Bluebirds’ net.

Barrow found an equaliser five minutes later, with Rekeem Harper finding the back of the net from outside the area for the visitors.

The Bees found what proved to be the match-winner with six minutes of normal time to play. Jaiyesimi looped the ball brilliantly into the danger zone and it was met by the arriving Stead who headed home our third of the afternoon.

Glover made way for Ben Winterburn for the final moments of the game and with six minutes added to the 90, Joe Kizzi came on in place of Tshimanga to see out the result in the capital.

Full-time: Barnet FC 3-2 Barrow A.F.C

Line-up: Slicker, Senior, Stead, Kanu (Jaiyesimi, 63’), Glover (Winterburn, 87’), Shelton, Tshimanga (Kizzi, 90+3’), Chinedu (Smith, 63’), Crichlow, Tavares, Ofoborh

Goals: Tshimanga (45+2’), Shelton (53’), Stead (84’)

Attendance: 2,075 with 177 visitors