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Barnet FC in the Football League Cup

Last updated : 28 July 2009 By Jaybee
Barnet have been drawn at home in the Carling Cup 1st Round this season to near neighbours, Watford and in light of this, it seems timely to look at how the Bees have performed in the League Cup.

Barnet first entered the League Cup, then named the Rumbelows Cup, in 1991, following their promotion from the GM Vauxhall Conference to the 4th division of the Football League. They were drawn against Brentford in the 1st Round to be played over two legs. The first leg was played at Underhill in front of nearly 3,000 fans and produced a remarkable 5-5 draw. Barnet took the lead in the 9th minute when Nicky Evans headed home, but Brentford soon went 2-1 up. However, Mark Carter headed home an equaliser before half time to make it 2-2.

Barnet were 4-2 up within five minutes of the restart with goals from Nicky Evans and Gary Bull, but Brentford pulled one back to make it 4-3. Ten minutes from full time, Gary Bull made it 5-3 to Barnet, but the Bees couldn't hold on and Brentford scored twice, the equaliser coming in the fifth minute of injury time. Barnet's side that night was; Berryman, Blackford, Naylor, Horton (Lynch), Howell, Johnson, Poole, Carter, Bull, Evans, Hoddle.

In the second leg at Griffin Park, Brentford won 3-1 to win the tie 8-6 on aggregate, Mark Carter scoring for the Bees.

The following season, 1992/93, Barnet were drawn to play Peterborough United in the 1st Round of the, newly named, Coca Cola Cup. However, they lost heavily in the first leg, at London Road, going down 4-0 giving them little chance of retrieving the tie in the second leg. The match at Underhill ended in a 2-2 draw, Gary Bull scoring both the Barnet goals, but Barnet went out of the competition, 6-2. At the end of that season, Barnet were promoted to Division Two, but due to financial problems and punishments unfairly handed out by the Football League, Barnet lost most of the players that had taken them from the Conference o the third tier of the Football League. So for the new season, 1993/94, Barnet's new manager, Gary Phillips had had to assemble a scratch side for the new season as best he could.

In the Coca Cola Cup, in the most ironic of draws, Barnet were paired with 1st Division side, Southend United, who were now managed by former Barnet boss, Barry Fry who had been the man largely instrumental in taking Barnet up two levels in three seasons. Barnet gave a strong and brave performance against a Southend side containing two players who had walked out on Barnet, Derek Payne and Jonathon Hunt. The Bees won the first leg 2-0 at Southend with goals from Tony Lynch and new signing, Alan Walker. The return leg at Underhill was drawn 1-1 with Barnet's goal coming from another new player, Kelly Haag. At the end of the match, Fry congratulated every Barnet player as they came of the pitch. Barnet had won the tie 3-1 on aggregate and had won through to the 2nd Round of the League Cup for the first time.

In the 2nd Round, Barnet were paired with Premiership club, QPR. Barnet lost the 1st leg at Underhill, 2-1 with the Bees' goal coming from Tony Lynch and crashed out 4-0 at Loftus Road in the second leg to go out of the tournament 6-1 on aggregate.