MATCH REPORT | OXFORD CITY 0-2 BARNET FC

Callum Stead’s first half double secured all three points for The Bees at the RAW Charging Stadium against Oxford City.

Dean Brennan made four changes to his side who faced Solihull Moors on Tuesday at The Hive where the points were shared. Marvin Armstrong, Courtney Senior, Ben Wynter and Callum Stead join the starting XI while Dale Gorman was dropped to the bench. Dom Revan, Reece Hall-Johnson and Idris Kanu were not in the matchday squad. 

The first chance of the game came when a free-kick from Hartigan found the head of Nicke Kabamba but with too much power as he sent it over the bar. 

A shot from Stead followed inside the box but the keeper got his hands to it. 

The Oxford keeper nearly gave Barnet the lead when he was unable to gain control of the ball in his hands and was forced to tip it over the bar. 

Armstrong made a strong run but he was blocked by the opposition for a corner. The resulting corner saw a scramble of chances but the final one being Senior getting a shot at goal with a slight deflection off Pritchard but the effort was denied. 

Senior took another shot when he cut in and narrowly went wide when shooting for the bottom right corner.

Stead sent the ball across the face of the goal for Kabamba to meet but a late high kick from Oxford City cleared the ball away. 

Around the twenty minute mark, Stead sent in a powerful strike but just went wide of the goal to keep it 0-0. The chances kept on coming when Zak Brunt took his chance, aiming for the top corner, but it hit the post. 

The skipper for Oxford City, Josh Parker, made a run through the empty space where Laurie Walker was out of his goal but the keeper was able to recover his position and get his hands to the ball. Rafferty Pedder followed with a shot from distance for the home side but the ball was sent far wide of the target.

The goal to open the game for Barnet came when Nicke Kabamba flicked the ball towards Stead who tucked it away into the back of the net to give The Bees the lead.

Senior sent the ball across the face of the goal again, moments after the first goal, but no one was there to meet it. Barnet were unlucky not to get a second goal when a cross from Wynter found the feet of Pritchard who sent the ball just past the back post. 

Stead got his second goal of the game just 5 minutes after his first. Kabamba was on the edge of the box to slide the ball towards Stead who was ready and waiting to send the ball to the top corner to double the lead. 

Oxford City got a late chance in additional time but the ball was comfortably saved by Laurie Walker.

HT: Oxford City 0 –  2 Barnet 

The second half got underway with an incredible moment from Barnet. Unbelievable blocks from the players denied the home side a goal after multiple shots. 

Oxford City appeared to be the more dominant side in the opening 5 minutes with multiple chances but Laurie Walker was there to keep Barnet in the lead by 2. 

Armstrong took a shot inside the box with an open goal but it was cleared off the line by an Oxford City player.

Armstrong got another chance to make it three but sent it far wide.

Oxford City were denied a goal on the line after multiple chances threatened to give them a foot back in the game. 

A double substitution saw Dale Gorman and Sam Barratt make their way onto the pitch with Marvin Armstrong and Courtney Senior coming off.

A phenomenal save from Laurie Walker saw the ball hit away for a corner after it came at him with force. 

Wynter got the ball into the back of the net but the flag went up for offside and kept it 2-0. 

The final substitution of the game welcomed Gary Hooper to the pitch to replace Nicke Kabamba.

Stead pushed to get his hat-trick in the final minute with a shot towards the bottom corner but he just sent it past the face of the goal. 

Callum Stead’s great double in the first half sealed the three points in Oxford for the Bees. 

Starting XI: Walker; Armstrong (61′ Gorman), Okimo, Senior (61′ Barratt), Kabamba (75′ Hooper), Stead, Pritchard, Hartigan, Wynter, Potter, Brunt.

Unused Substitutes: Beard, Cropper.

Goals: Stead (28’, 33’)

Attendance: 979 (450 Barnet)