Barnet 1 Stockport County 2 ( Vanarama National League ) 16 November 2019

County served up a top notch pre Yule booster for their travelling army of over 400 supporters at the Hive today, where  a sensational late burst of scoring saw them secure a brilliant 2-1 victory, after trailing , until late, to Darren Currie`s Barnet side.

 

Keano  v Dunne .

This fine win sees the blues pushing for a play off spot, and was just reward for sticking at it when seemingly under the cosh. It was also clear testimony to County`s superior fitness levels which saw them turn the game on its head in the last few minutes as the Bees wilted before them.

Undoubtedly Barnet will feel a tad miffed , having played some skilful stuff for long periods , particularly goal scorer Ephron Mason- Clark, but all the skilled approach play in the world ( and there was lots from our hosts) is as Knut`s throne  was to stopping the tides, if there is no finishing of note to go with it- and there truly wasn`t.

For County, the issues were of a different hue.

 

Early pressure on County.

They were under a lot of pressure, and they defended against this magnificently, but a familiar pattern of clearances from deep positions not finding a white shirt just multiplied County`s problems as the pressure was on them again. Then it wasn`t as, by sheer will power, James Gannon`s men hauled themselves back from the edge of the precipice to send their ecstatic fans home deliriously happy courtesy of fine strikes by Osborne and Mulhern.

Ossie- got one...did much !

Those of us arriving early were unlucky enough to experience the humourless curmudgeons masquerading as stewards interpretation of crowd control- I nearly said customer service, but we all know there is no such thing for travelling fans even in the 21 st century !

 Surly rudeness to people I know to be regular / responsible travelling County fans,looked way over the top .They also stopped some in our midst from visiting the club shop, under the doubtful premise that `we need you to be inside the stadium` ( at 1.20 that is)-` useless prats `just does not fully do them justice- but the memory of same added spice to the magic of the victory later!!

On the pitch, Sam Walker for Adam Thomas, and Nyal Bell for Frank Mulhern were the changes on view for County on an overcast but not remotely Siberian style cold day.

 

Sam back, and on the ball !

There was a wee frisson of excitement from the off as Bell surged clear, but the home defensive cover was intact and soon saw County defending.

Bell foiled ( Andrew Machin )

The second minute saw a first moment of irritation at referee Sam Allison w
ho gave Barnet a scoring opportunity via a free kick just outside the box. This became a corner as County closed ranks in front of Hinchliffe, and despite Medi Alito`s best efforts with the kick, there was nothing down for our hosts as Osborne ushered the ball clear.

Osborne and company ( Andrew Machin )

County`s attempts to make something from defensive nothings were already not shaping up that well, as Barnet, playing the pill to feet, forced the white shirted blues back again. It was Mason- Clark and Alexander who linked up with 4 minutes gone , and their attack down the right looked potent until it wasn`t and the limpest of finishes saw the away end ducking in unison.

 

Festus- progress maintained !

Bell meanwhile looked to be seeking to do stuff, but keeper Scott Loach had enough about him a minute later to see the danger off.

 

Loach`s ball !

For a time County tried to push on, only for Loach to party poop once more holding onto a Minihan shot after Osborne`s cross found no takers.

 

Shot from Minihan ( Andrew Machin )

It went on Osborne sending another shot in…..Loach making a comfy stop……then a fine defensive block on Elito by Keane drew applause from the County following, only for the imprecision in the passing from County thereafter to end any hope of progress.

Barnet were certainly looking a capable footballing side, and it took another good bit of work from Palmer to stop Josh Walker as he surged beyond Arthur to the by-line.

Both keepers were busy lads for a time next…….Loach hungrily snaffling a cross from Rodney at one end, whilst Hinchliffe had to make a fine save with his legs to save the day with Mason-Clark advancing on goal at the other.

 

Loach has it ( Andrew Machin )

County had allowed Barnet to hit them on the counter, and they did it again not long after, as some excellent work by Keane and Rodney went for a bucket of chalk as County`s back line again came under threat. 
 

Rodney caught by Andrew Machin.

 The result was almost precisely the same with Hinchliffe using his legs to make a brilliant stop to deny Mason- Clark. The home specs were still hyper ventilating like crazy when Josh Walker had them reaching for the BP tabs as his lamentable follow up effort again joined 405 souls under the roof of the away end.

 

Nobody hyperventilating in away end ! ( Andrew Machin )

Hinchliffe continued to be busy, doing well to make a save at the foot of a  post.  County responded, but without suggesting that they had sussed out how to sort our hosts- Rodney saw a shot drift wide, whilst Minihan watched as his shot beat Loach but missed out by a foot of so following Palmer`s header back across goal from Sam Walker`s free kick.

Much as Tom Walker and Osborne would try to work something from that nothing I mentioned earlier, and Sam Walker probed the home defences with free kick`s , County thus far were no more effective than Barnet at applying the appropriate finish.

 

Tom Walker linking with Osborne.

A last gasper from Tyler Garratt illuminated what was left of the half, and I found myself fairly satisfied with 0-0 as a score line as the teams went in for the break.

Now a few crowd shots:-

And some from Andrew Machin :-

Mulhern was on for Bell when the action resumed, and in no time County found themselves defending the cheapest of free kicks.

 

County under pressure.

 They defended this with commendable skill , and what followed gave me renewed hope as from deep Sam Walker sent his namesake Tom darting clear on the end of a precociously fine ball. He was flagged offside which was disappointing, but there were seeds of something good there to lessen the blow.

 

Fine ball from Sam.

It was not long before County were defending again, and they saw off a corner with practised aplomb, but there was no counter-attack to follow, and Dunne latched onto the ball in a decent position only to drag his shot well wide.

It was end to end stuff for a time next Tom Walker getting no reward from a decent break from deep, and home keeper Loach doing enough to see off a County free kick.

Then Barnet replied via Mason-Clark but , from his  cross, Dunne again disappointed the home specs by heading over.

 

TW- no reward !

Back came County and I was sympathetic to Frank`s baleful appeals to liner and ref as he was felled comprehensively by Reynolds on the edge of the box.

Reynold`s irked us once more just a minute later blocking Rodney with a neat bit of precision defending though.

 

Rodney- another game full of effort from him !

County were under the cosh now , and it looked ominous  for a time, and I was relieved to see Johnson lift his shot into the `Bees Terrace`  after latching onto another wayward clearance by County.

Beyond the hour and Jackson was on for Tom Walker, but it was Barnet`s turn on the front foot and Hinchliffe did well to keep Mason-Clark`s deflected shot out!

If that one caused a flurry, there was another one soon on the way also, this time it was Elito on the ball and then not as an awful shot from him cleared the terrace behind the goal.

Some nonsense involving a bounce up ( favouring  Barnet) was awarded when a Barnet pass hit the referee! Give me strength someone…..since when is that a fitting response- the correct one would be to let play go on ( or am I wrong ?)!

I was still mumbling to myself unhappily when the condition was worsened as Barnet took the lead. Almost inevitably it came via Mason- Clark who took advantage of County`s inability to clear their lines by slotting a cross field shot in at the back post!

Minihan cleared this one though.

0-1 ( Andrew Machin )

That was not good, but what followed on from it was distinctly so, as County took the game to their opponents in a fashion that had their supporters cheering loudly- Rodney sliding in within inches of putting Osborne`s cross into the net.

 

Over it comes from Ossie !

Rodders so close ! ( Andrew Machin )

County continued to defend like heroes ( they pretty much had to)with Tutonda on their case with a skilful run. His fall to earth and accompanying `death pose` was less skilful and ( credit where it is due) Mr Allison refused to buy the appeals for a penalty from the local `ultras`.

Back came County, a series of attacking moves culminating in a surging run by Minihan and a cross that invited attention.

 

Surging run by Minihan.

 Osborne duly provided it slamming the truest of shots beyond Loach into the net!

1-1, and Andrew Machin sees it captures it Ossie`s moment !

Joy for Ossie ( Andrew Machin )

The away end was one seething mass of happy cheering …chanting County fans, and you could almost sense the sinking feeling that would now be beginning to take a hold of the men in orange.

Yes you could, and I felt it as Jackson just failed to get a shot in from Rodney`s impish cross.

 

Another decent cameo from Jacko ( Andrew Machin )

Barnet were happy to find touch now, and they needed to as Garratt pinged over a cross that scorched and fizzed its way across the face of the home goal.

Garratt putting pressure on Barnet ( Andrew Machin )

Into the last 10 minutes we went with Totunda again unable to control his finish , sending the loosest of efforts way wide.

But mainly it was County doing the pressing now and Loach did well to hold onto a shot from Osborne with 6 minutes left.

Time for a reply by Barnet and a neat catch from Hinchliffe, and from that County went for the jugular again, Rodney almost doing the trick turning inside his marker into the box where Loach did brilliantly to snatch the pill off his toes.

 

Rodders thwarted by Loach !

Rodney`s general attitude and play merits a goal, in my view, but his chance to get it this time disappeared not long after with the sight of Thomas coming on to replace him with 3 minutes left.

Rodney robbed ( Andrew Machin )

On it went, with Barnet commendably managing a response but Mason- Clark`s cross whizzed across the box unattended by the men in orange who were about to pay the full price for their inefficiency.

The break that followed by County saw Jackson`s shot deflected for a corner. Osborne took it planting his near perfect delivery into the 6 yard box invitingly. County attacked this wholesale but Keano and Frank were nearest .

Two shots of that :-

And 2 from Andrew Machin of that :-

 It was difficult to see which of the two got the final touch , but Frank was in no doubt and eventually got the nod ….he had scored and it was 2-1 to County.

And some from Andrew Machin too:-

There was defending for County to do in added time , but they did it with their accustomed efficiency, even seeing off Mr Allison`s late gift to our hosts in the shape of a centrally placed and distinctly scoreable free kick .

For Barnet…it was not to be…..for County and their supporters…sheer joy of victory snatched valiantly from the perceived jaws of defeat.

 

James Gannon acknowledges adulation of County crowd ( Andrew Machin )

Well done County…well done JG….well done the 405!

Barnet FC line up:-

Loach, Alexander, Johnson, Rynolds, Dunne, Taylor, Elito, J Walker, Tutonda ( Chime 86), Sweeney, Mason- Clark.

Subs not used : Azaze, Akinola , Fonguck, Hernandez.

Stockport County line up:-

Hinchliffe, Minihan, Palmer, Arthur, Garratt, Keane, S Walker, Osborne, Bell ( Mulhern 45), T Walker ( Jackson 61), Rodney ( Thomas 87).

Subs not used : Ormson, Turnbull.

Attendance ; 1536 ( 405)

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