On Saturday, the Bees entertain Grimsby Town in their first game of 2009. Both sides are having a very poor season with Barnet 20th and Grimsby Town 21st. Earlier in the season, Grimsby sacked manager Alan Buckley and the Mariners are now managed by former Luton Town boss, Mike Newell. Until Barnet won at Blundell Park in September, Barnet had not gained even a point against Grimsby since returning to the football league in 2005. Barnet had a dreadful record against Grimsby, not gaining a single point from any of the first 6 matches between the two sides.
This 'hoodoo' all started in August 2005, with Barnet sitting proudly on the top of League 2 with 10 points from 4 games, Grimsby came to Underhill and stole a 1-0 victory courtesy of a rather freakish header early in the second half by substitute, Calvin Andrew.
Barnet: Tynan, Hendon (Batt 81), King, Charles, Gross (Roache 86), Strevens (Hatch 66), Bailey, Lee, Sinclair, Graham, Grazioli.
Grimsby: Mildenhall, Whittle, Ramsden (Croft 73), R.Jones, McDermott, Kalala, Bolland, Parkinson, Newey (Andrew 45), Reddy (Gritton 45), Gary Jones.
In March of 2006, Barnet travelled to Grimsby and went down 3-0, with Jones scoring twice and Bolland once for the Mariners.
Grimsby: Mildenhall, McDermott, Futcher, Whittle, Newey, Cohen, Bolland (Kalala 69), Woodhouse, Toner, Reddy (Mendes 29), Gary Jones.
Barnet: Reed, Clist (Batt 60), Yakubu, Charles, King, Strevens, Hessenthaler, Sinclair, Bailey, Norville (Hatch 61), Grazioli (Soares 61).
The following season, 2006/07, the two sides met in December with Barnet fresh on the heels of a tremendous 4-1 FA Cup win over Northampton Town the previous Saturday, Barnet gave a disappointing display as they went down 1-0 at home to Grimsby, for whom Martin Patterson scored.
Barnet: Harrison, Devera, King, Yakubu, Gross (Vieira 68), Cogan (Graham 69), Sinclair, Bailey, Puncheon, Birchall, Hatch (Warhurst 83).
Grimsby: Barnes, Croft, Fenton, Whittle, Newey, Till, Pulis, Hegarty, Ravenhill, Gary Jones, Paterson.
In April 2007, Barnet were thrashed 5-0 away at Grimsby Town as the season neared the end with Danny North getting a hat trick and Gary Jones and Nick Fenton scoring one each.
Grimsby: Barnes, McDermott (Bloomer 73), Bennett, Fenton, Newey, Till (Taylor 78), Bolland, Boshell, Toner (Hegarty35), Gary Jones, North.
Barnet: Harrison, Warhurst, Devera (Ioannou 83), Nicolau, King, Bailey, Cogan, Sinclair, Puncheon, Birchall, Hatch (Vieira 64).
Last season, with Barnet going well in League Two and unbeaten in 8 league matches, Grimsby came to Underhill, in November, and won comfortably, 3-0. It seemed that Barnet could not even score against Grimsby, let alone get any points. It was Grimsby's first away league win in 9 matches.
Barnet: Harrison, Devera (Nicolau 70), Burton, Yakubu (O'Cearuill 45), Gillet, Leary (Carew 51), Bishop, Wright, Puncheon, Hatch, Birchall.
Grimsby: Montgomery, Atkinson, Bennett, Fenton, Newey, Till (Bore 45), Hird, Hunt, Toner, North (Taylor 66), Gary Jones, Taylor (Rankin 90).
In March 2008, Barnet travelled to Grimsby, on a poor run of just 1 win in 8 league games and lost 4-1 to make it 6 defeats out of 6 matches against Grimsby. Finally, though, Barnet scored a goal against the Mariners, Cliff Akurang scoring after 80 minutes from a Nicky Nicolau cross. Hegarty, Butler, Bolland and Taylor scored for Grimsby.
Grimsby: Barnes, Atkinson, Fenton, Newey, Bennett, Hegarty, Bolland, Clarke, Boshell (Till 77), Jones (Taylor 72), Butler (Bore 87).
Barnet: Harrison, Devera, Yakubu, Burton, Nicolau (Thomas 82), St Aimie (Carew 69), Bishop, Wright, Adomah, Grazioli, Akurang.
Earlier this season, the two sides met at Blundell Park and Barnet finally gained a victory over Grimsby, winning 1-0 thanks to a Neal Bishop goal.
Grimsby: Barnes, Stockdale, Bennett, Heywood, Newey, Kamara, Hunt (Heslop 61), Trotter, Till, Llewellyn (North 55), Ameobi (Jarman 56).
Barnet: Harrison, Carew, Yakubu, Devera, Gillet, Adomah, Bishop, Leary, Nicolau, Akurang, O'Flynn (Birchall 81).
Barnet's record against Grimsby now reads, P7 W1 D0 L6 F2 A17 PTS 3.
