But enough about now lets go back to that which will go down as a key match in the 2004/2005 season if promotion is achieved.
Canvey Island v Barnet
Monday, 30th August 2004
Nationwide Conference
Attendance: 1230
Score: 0-1
Goals: Barnet: Sinclair (27)
With news that Shane Gore would be out for about 6 weeks, Ricky Millard continued to deputise in goal. Chris Plummer had received a knock at the weekend and was replaced by fit again, Ismail Yakubu, with Simon Clist continuing at left back.
Canvey, in their first season in the Conference, started the match unbeaten and fresh from a first win away at Exeter, two days before. However, it was Barnet who started the game the stronger with Liam Hatch, in particular, causing the Canvey defence all sorts of problems. Hatch had a couple of clear chances which he might have done better with and Dwane Lee sent Canvey keeper, Potter, sprawling across the goal to keep out a speculative shot.
Barnet were well in control and just before the half hour, Dean Sinclair, finding space on the right hand side of the penalty area, jinked past two defenders before unleashing a terrific shot past a despairing Potter to put the Bees a goal up.
Canvey created few problems for Barnet though Ricky Millard had to make a fine tip-over save following a long shot from Chris Duffy. At the other end an out of sorts Ben Strevens, got around the back of the Canvey defence and crossed for Guiliano Grazioli, only for the Bees’ top scorer to head wide when well placed.
Half Time: 0-1
After controlling most of the first half, Barnet seemed happy to play a game of containment in the second, letting Canvey Island have most of the possession. Despite this, Barnet had the better of the chances, Potter foiling Grazioli twice, the first time with a fine save, tipping Graz’s close-in shot over the bar.
Canvey rarely threatened for all their possession, with the central defence of Simon King and Ismail Yakubu dealing with most of anything Canvey threw at them and stifling Canvey’s high scoring striker, Lee Boylan, who limped off late in the game. On the rare occasions when Canvey did break through on the right, they were foiled by a sublime performance at left back by Simon Clist, who impressed the Bees’ fans with his tackling, heading and fine distribution.
However, Barnet almost let their lead slip, a few minutes from the end when Ricky Millard had to make an excellent save following a close-in header from former Barnet trialist, Ben Sedgemore. A few nerve wracking minutes followed
as time added on seemed to go on for ever for the Bees’ fans. At the end Barnet’s third win on the trot and their fourth in five games, meant that they ended the day top of the Conference following Dagenham & Redbridge’s defeat at Crawley Town.
Bees Man of the Match: Simon Clist
Teams:
Canvey Island: Potter, Joseph, Smith (Cowan 64), Chenery, Gooden (McDougald 76), Duffy, McGhee, Kennedy, Sedgemore, Gregory, Boylan (Berquez 85).
Barnet: Millard, Hendon, Yakubu, King, Clist, Strevens, Sinclair (Lopez 90), Lee, Graham, Grazioli, Hatch.