Barnet maintained their unbeaten record in pre–season with a 1–0 win away at Bridge Avenue,
home to newly promoted 6th–tier side, Hornchurch.
home to newly promoted 6th–tier side, Hornchurch.
After wins against Hitchen Town, MK Dons, Chesham United, Hemel Hempstead, and a draw last week away at Chelmsford City, the Bees hoped to continue their fine form as the start of the
season draws nearer.
Dean Brennan named four changes to the side that started against Chelmsford on Monday, with
Myles Kenlock, Billy Clifford, Anthony Hartigan, and Nicke Kabamba coming in for Joe Grimwood.
Joe Rye, Jermaine Francis, and Finley Wilkinson respectfully.
Barnet started well with Reece Hall–Johnson and Callum Stead looking bright in the opening exchanges but within the first twenty minutes of the match, the Bees were hampered by injuries with Rhys Browne and Hall–Johnson both coming off for precautionary reasons: Jack Blower and Zak Brunt coming on in their place.
The hosts battled well against a Barnet team hoping to achieve promotion to the EFL this season, something that Hornchurch similarly experienced with their Isthmian League Premier Division title–winning season last term.
As the first half drew on, Kabamba started to cause the Hornchurch defence problems, forcing the keeper to clear the ball out of play with his high press and making darting runs from deep before getting a shot off just before the 30th–minute mark but his effort was blocked.
The best chance of the half however came for the hosts just before halftime when a mistake in
midfield let Hornchurch through on goal however Hayes, who hadn’t had much to do thus far, made an outstanding one–handed save to keep the scores level.
Unfortunately for Barnet, they ended the half with 10 men as a third Bee fell to injury, with Nikola Tavares hobbling off. A challenging 45 minutes for Barnet but there were many positives to take as the players headed in for halftime.
HT Hornchurch FC 0–0 Barnet FC
The second half kicked off with a great gesture from Hornchurch, with George Brady swapping
teams for the remainder of the match to allow the contest to continue 11 v 11.
Ironically, it was Brady who had the opening chance of the half for the Bees with a powerful header from a corner, but it sailed over the bar.
With the hour mark approaching, it was the hosts who were on top with Liam Nash, top goal scorer from the title–winning campaign last year, looking like the most dangerous man on the pitch.
The Bees started to wrestle back momentum with Stead, who had been Barnet’s best player up to this point, creating another great chance, but the forward could not sort his feet out while
attempting to break the deadlock.
The ball found its way into the back of the net for the first time in the match on 75 minutes when
a ball that broke through the Barnet defence fell to the Hornchurch attacker, but the Bees were
saved by the offside flag.
As the game was heading for its conclusion, both sides pushed for a winner with the hosts
producing a whipped cross that fired across goal but it was Barnet celebrating at the end when a
last–minute corner was recycled out to Blower who found Kabamba at the back post and his
looping header back across goal ended up in the back of the net to seal a hard–fought victory.
Barnet will complete pre–season with an away game against Hampton and Richmond FC next
Tuesday before hosting AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.
FT Hornchurch FC 0–1 Barnet FC
Starting XI: Hayes, Tavares, Oluwo, Kenlock, Coker, Hall–Johnson, Hartigan, Clifford, Browne, Stead,
Kabamba.
Goal: Kabamba 89’.
