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Report | Barnet 1-0 Swansea City

The Bees opted to field two teams over the ninety minutes, as did their opponents from South Wales who, after this fixture, were jetting off to America for a pre-season tour.

Backed by a strong travelling contingent, it was the visitors who started the brighter of the two teams. In the second minute, Oli McBurnie attempted a bicycle kick from the edge of the box but it didn’t trouble Jamie Stephens.

Modou Barrow forced his way down the right wing just over a minute later, his cross was tame however and claimed by the Bees number one.

Shomotun forced Barnet’s first break into opposition territory six minutes in, but following a good run down the left-hand side, his cross was poor and evaded the Barnet attackers.

With ten minutes on the clock, Federico Fernandez powered a header towards goal from a corner, but Stephens was equal to it, saving spectacularly.

As the half rolled on, there was further chances for McBurnie, Routledge and Barrow, whose effort was well blocked by Charlie Clough.

Stephens was then called into action yet again, making a spectacular double save before the deadlock was broken in the forty-first minute.

Elliott Johnson brought the ball forward down the wing and provided a beautiful cross to find John Akinde unmarked to head past Erwin Mulder who remained rooted to the spot.

In the second half, Swansea brought on the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jordan Ayew, Leroy Fer and Luciano Narsingh but it was the new Bees side who were on the front foot from the restart.

Jean Louis Akpa Akpro delivered a dangerous cross which had to be headed behind by Keston Davies.

Justin Amaluzor was causing all sorts of problems for the Swansea defence with a handful of rapid attacks in quick succession.

Akpa Akpro then forced Mulder into a spectacular save, following a curling effort eighteen yards out.

On the hour mark, Craig Ross, making his Hive debut, was called into action for the first time having to get down low to stop a Jordan Ayew snapshot.

Seven minutes later, the Bees almost doubled their lead following a spectacular attempt from Ruben Bover who audaciously attempted a half volley from all of forty yards having spotted the Swansea ‘keeper off of his line. It flew narrowly over the bar.

As the game drew to a close, chances became few and far between for both sides. Efforts from Olsson and Ayew didn’t trouble Ross.

Sigurdsson lined up a free kick from twenty-five yards after a coming together between Curtis Weston and Martin Olsson but it flew wide of the top left corner.

The final chance of the match came to Justin Amaluzor who, following an excellent counter attack, struggled to get a clear sight at goal and his shot trickled out for a goal kick.

Rossi Eames’ side will next face a West Ham United XI on Saturday 15th July.

Attendance: 1452

Barnet: Stephens (Ross 46); H Taylor (Nicholls 46), Smith (Santos 46), Clough (Payne 46), Johnson (Tutonda 46); Sweeney (Weston 46), J Taylor (Fonguck 46); Shomotun (Kyei 46), Campbell-Ryce (Bover 46), Akinola (Amulazor 46); Akinde (Akpa Akpro 46).

Swansea: Mulder; Rangel (Naughton 46), Van Der Hoorn (Davies 46), Fernandes (Bartley 46), Roberts (Olsson 70); Routledge (King 46 (Mesa 70)), Fulton (Grimes 46), Carroll (Fer 46); Barrow (Sigurdsson 46), McBurnie (Ayew 46), Montero (Narsingh 46).