The Hatters record run ends at Underhill

The last time that Stockport County came to Underhill was in March of last year. Stockport were on a record breaking run of nine wins and nine clean sheets, a run which had took them into the play off positions. Barnet needed points to make sure that they didn't get dragged into the relegation zone.

After looking like possible play off contenders themselves at Christmas, Barnet's season had taken a definite down turn with only 8 points from 9 games since the turn off the year, a run which included five defeats. The previous Saturday, the Bees had lost 2-1 at home to second from bottom, Wrexham.

It was the visitors, not surprisingly, who started the strongest and in the first half an hour or so they looked a much stronger side than Barnet and showed why they had had so much recent success. They created a number of good chances and a it seemed like just a matter of time before they scored and they finally went ahead after 33 minutes, courtesy of a Tes Bramble goal. Bramble beat Ross Flitney to a corner at the near post and headed home.

County continued to dominate, but somewhat against the run of play, a minute from half time, County's keeper, Wayne Hennessey was finally beaten. Hennessey, on loan from Wolves, had not conceded a goal since arriving at Edgeley Park, was beaten by a wicked deflection from an Oliver Allen shot from the edge of the penalty area.

HT 1-1

Allen's goal, coming as it did just before the break, breathed new life into the home side and two minutes into the second half they took the lead through Dean Sinclair. The goal followed some neat interplay outside the box between Sinclair, Barry Cogan and Adam Birchall and when the ball fell kindly to Sinclair, his shot got a slight deflection and evaded Hennessey, landing up in the far corner of the net.

Barnet were now completely in control. Stockport's Ashley Williams headed onto his own crossbar following a Hessenthaler header. Then saw a fierce drive well saved by Hennessey following a typically fine run. Sinclair almost got a second when Hennessey only partly saved his glancing header only for the ball to be cleared off the line. Finally with less than 10 minutes remaining, Barnet put the result beyond doubt when a long ball from Adam Gross cleared the Stockport defence and Bees' substitute, Liam Hatch hit a strong left foot shot past Hennessey.

Stockport's memorable run had ended and Barnet had gained three precious points to push the club towards safety. The season ended reasonably well for the Bees. They finished 14^th on 59 points, an improvement of 4 places on the previous season. For Stockport there was the heartbreak of missing out on a play off place to Shrewsbury Town on goal difference, following an end of season run that saw them take just 8 points from their last 11 games, including the defeat at Underhill.

Barnet: Flitney; Devera, Yakubu, King, Gross: Cogan (Lewis 88), Sinclair, Hessenthaler, Puncheon; Birchall (Hatch 76), Allen.

Subs not used: Harrison, Graham, Hendon.

Goals: Allen 44, Sinclair 47, Hatch 82.

Stockport: Hennessey; Clare, Williams, Owen, Rose; Poole (Dinning 84), Taylor, Blizzard, Griffin (Pilkington 70); Elding, Bramble (Dickinson 49).

Subs not used: Spencer, Raynes.

Goal: Bramble 33.

Att: 2647