MATCH REPORT | TAMWORTH 0-1 BARNET FC

The Bees visited the Lamb Ground on Saturday as they faced Tamworth in the Vanarama National League, where after a hard-fought battle, the Bees walked away victorious when a Callum Stead volley in the box gave Dean Brennan’s side a 1-0 win against the Lambs, taking home the 3 points.

From the get-go the game promised some intense action, as within the opening minutes both sides were fighting for an early lead, charging at the back lines putting the pressure on from outside the box.

Tamworth winger Beck-Ray Enoru showed that he was going to be a test for the Bees defence, pacing down the left side and cutting into the middle, creating and attempting chances for the hosts.

In the first ten-minutes Owen Evans was called to action, having to reach high to push over a lobbed attempt on goal by Beck-Ray Enoru, keeping the Bees in the game.

Barnet had to retaliate and show they weren’t going to back down, by pushing the Tamworth team back in their own half and launching the ball towards the goal, looking for that advantage.

As the game runs over the twenty-minute mark, Ryan Glover cuts the ball into the middle from the left and finds an unmarked Mark Shelton.

He rolls the ball towards him, setting Shelton up nicely to strike it at goal from outside the box to which he takes with full power, but sadly the ball flies too high in the air and glides past the crossbar, the scores remain level.

It didn’t take long for Tamworth to take back control of the ball, forcing the Bees to return to their half and defend the goal.

Owen Evans comes to the Bees rescue once again, stretching out to producing an unbelievable save which knocks Barnet forward and on to a strong counterattack.

The Bees didn’t waste this opportunity, as Zak Brunt picks up the ball on the left side of the box, crossing it into a goal hungry Callum Stead, who connects with the ball perfectly with his right foot and volleying it past goalkeeper Jasbir Singh, giving the Bees the lead in the 36th minute.

 

First half was coming to an end, and Tamworth were piling on the pressure, determined to take
one back from the Bees before the break, but they couldn’t find a clear opportunity past the Barnet back line, meaning the Bees had the lead.

 

Half-time 0-1

 

Second half went underway, and the Bees took off with a flying start, when Zak Brunt finds a
chance in the box, aiming the ball towards the goal, but it lands just wide of the left post.

 

Throughout the game Idris Kanu was battling it out with Beck-Ray Enoru on the wing, fighting
for the ball with speed strength and agility, but every time Idris Kanu came out on top winning the dual.

 

Tamworth was refusing to back down from the game, constantly looking for that equaliser to
bring them back and salvage some points from the match.

 

In the 63^rd minute, Bees captain Antony Hartigan committed a foul on the edge of the box,
giving Tamworth a good chance on goal as well as picking up a yellow card in the process.

 

Tamworth struck the ball with precision and power, forcing Evans to reach out and pull off yet
another incredible save from the top left corner, what a fantastic performance
the Welshman is putting in today.

 

Barnet were staying calm, focusing on maintaining the lead and stopping any chance had towards their goal, the three points were essential in this game.

During the final ten minutes of the match, Tamworth’s Jordan Cullinane-Liburd picked up his second yellow card in the game for delaying a restart, resulting in him receiving a red card and a path towards the tunnel.

 

Tamworth went downto ten men.

 

Six minutes was added on from the ninety, and Tamworth were looking for something, anything to bring them back into this game and give them a point for the table.

 

But Barnet knew they had the advantage, and held a stern back line, faulting any chance of the ball falling into their and any risk of costing them the lead.

 

Then, after the ball went out for a Barnet throw in, the referee blew his whistle for full-time, and Barnet take all the three points from the game, securing a six-point lead at the top of the table.

 

Full-time 0-1

 

Line-ups: Evans,Collinge, Ndlovu, Stead, Kanu, Glover (Coker 79’), Brunt (Browne 67’),
Hartigan, Shelton, Tavares, Kenlock

 

Goals: Stead (36’)