PAST TIMES: Exeter City

Barnet first met Exeter City when the name of the club was Barnet Alston. This was back in December 1908, almost 100 years ago. The two clubs met in the 5^th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup and despite a brave display, Barnet lost 3-0 at Underhill. In 1924, the two clubs met in the 6^th Qualifying Round at Exeter and again the score was 3-0 to Exeter. In 1948, two clubs met in the 1^st Round Proper of the FA Cup at Underhill and Exeter City won comfortably 6-2.

The two clubs did not meet again until the 1993-94 season, Barnet's only ever season in the 3^rd tier of the league, then called the 3^rd division. The two matches were both played within a week of each other, in March, and Barnet won the first game, at Underhill, 2-1 with goals from Tony Dolby and Terry Gibson. Mark Cooper, later to become manager of Tamworth, scored for City. In the return at St. James' Park, the match ended goalless. Both clubs were relegated at the end of that season.

In the following season, Barnet won 2-1 with goals from Alex Inglethorpe and Mark Cooper at Exeter and the match at Underhill was drawn 1-1, Terry Gibson getting the Bees' goal. In 1995-96, Alex Dyer, Sean Devine and Mark Cooper scored Barnet's goals in a 3-2 win at Underhill. Exeter won the return 1-0.

In 1996-97, the two clubs met each other 4 times as they were drawn together in the first round of the Coca Cola (League) Cup which was played over two legs. Barnet won the 1^st leg, at St. James' Park, 4-0 with goals from Phil Simpson, Sean Devine, Robert Codner and Micky Tomlinson. The Barnet side was; Taylor, Gale, Handyman, Codner (Campbell), Primus, Howarth, Tomlinson (Dunwell), Simpson, Wilson (McDonald), Devine, Pardew.

Barnet won the 2^nd leg at Underhill 2-0 to go through 6-0 on aggregate. The Bees' scorers were Jamie Campbell and Paul Wilson. In the league the match at St. James' Park was drawn 1-1, John Ford scoring for the Bees. Barnet won the return fixture, at Underhill, 3-0, Sean Devine scoring a hat trick.

In 1997-98, Exeter won 2-1 at Underhill early in the season, Barnet's goal coming from Ken Charlery. In the return at St. James' Park, the match ended goalless. In 1998-99, Exeter did the double over Barnet winning both games 1-0. The following season, the two clubs met early on and drew 2-2 at Underhill, Scott McGleish and Greg Heald scoring for the Bees. The match at Exeter ended goalless.

The following season, 2000-01, Barnet were relegated at the end of the season to the Nationwide Conference. Ken Charlery scored in a 1-1 draw at Underhill but Exeter won the return fixture 1-0.

The two clubs next met in the Conference following Exeter's relegation in 2003 from the Football League. Barnet were on a 9 match unbeaten run which had seen them take 23 points and were 3^rd in the table, but on the night, Exeter ran out 3-2 winners. Goals from Santos Gaia, Chris Todd and Glenn Cronin put the Grecians 3-0 up with both teams reduced to 10 men following the sending off of Barnet's Lewis Hogg and Exeter's former Barnet favourite, Sean Devine. In injury time, Chris Plummer and Giuliano Grazioli from the penalty spot brought the score back to 3-2 but the Bees couldn't quite grab a draw.

In the return, with both clubs pushing for a play-off place, the two clubs drew 1-1, Liam Hatch scoring for Barnet. At the end of the season, it was Barnet who made the play-offs, though they lost to Shrewsbury Town in the semi finals.

The following season, 2004-05, Barnet did the double over the Grecians. They won 3-0 at St. James' Park. The match saw Bees' midfield player, Dwane Lee captain for the night against his old club and he put Barnet ahead after 64 minutes, with a powerful header. Richard Graham made it 2-0 from the edge of the penalty area and Dean Sinclair rounded things off with a long range effort. The Barnet side was, Tynan, Batt, Yakubu, King, Clist, Bailey, Lee, Sinclair, Graham, Hatch, Strevens.

The last time before this season that the two clubs met at Underhill was in January 2005 and Barnet won 1-0. The only goal of the game was scored by Giuliano Grazioli. At the end of the season, Barnet were promoted as Conference Champions. Exeter were promoted through the play-offs in 2008. Earlier this season, Exeter won 1-0 at Underhill.