Season review 2011/12 - AFC Wimbledon (H)

Last updated : 17 June 2012 By Jaybee

So with Martin Allen back at the helm and having lost 3-0 away to Southend, Barnet found themselves in 22nd place, 3 points above Hereford and Macclesfield but having played a game more and with an inferior goal difference to both clubs. The next day, results went well for the Bees withHereford only drawing and Macclesfield losing, so when Barnet entertained AFC Wimbledon, they still had their destiny in their own hands. Win the last two games and it wouldn’t matter what the other two clubs did.

A win for Barnet and failure to win for Hereford & Macclesfield would ensure Barnet’s safety and send the other two clubs down. After an understandably nervous start, Barnet went ahead in the first half through Ricky Holmes. The visitors were safe in mid table and had nothing to play for and seldom threatened Dean Brill in the Barnet goal and, in the second half, Barnet added three more goals through Sam Deering, Ben May and skipper, Mark Hughes as the Bees won 4-0, their best win of the season. Macclesfield duly played their role and lost ensuring that they were relegated but Hereford provided one of the shocks of the day by winning 2-0 at promotion chasing, Crawley Town, a result which somewhat deflated the home fans who had hoped that a win would have been enough to keep the Bees up without going to the last day of the season for the third year running.

Maybe though the home fans were expecting too much as it was Barnet’s first home win since January and their first league win in 10 matches following a run which had seen them take only 3 points out of a possible 27. So it was that for the third successive season, Barnet’s future would go to the very last day of the season.