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Halifax Town 2-3 Barnet,21st August 2004,Nationwide Conference
Halifax Town v Barnet
21.8.04 3pm
By Jeffrey Benge
Score: Halifax 2 Barnet 3
Goals: Halifax: Howell (25) Monington (35)
Barnet: Haslam, o.g. (50), Hatch (68), Grazioli (69)
Attendance: 1382
Teams:
Halifax.T: Dunbavin, Doughty, Monington, Munroe, Ingram, Foster, Howell, Haslam, Willis (Hockenhull 54), Midgley (Toulson 74), Sugden (Killeen 74).
Subs Not Used: Mallon, Quinn.
Barnet: Gore, Clist, King, Plummer, Hendon, Graham, Lee, Sinclair (Bailey 90), Strevens (Lopez 90), Hatch, Grazioli.
Subs Not Used: Millard, Dobson, Roache.
With Ismail Yakabu still not fully fit, Barnet fielded the same starting line-up as against Farnborough in midweek, with one change on the bench; former Crystal Palace midfielder, Craig Dobson, replacing Protec youngster, Daniel Gwyther. This meant that Simon King continued in his role at centre back with Simon Clist filling in on the left side.
Barnet had the better of the first 20 minutes with Richie Graham going close when he hit the side netting when he might have done better. Later, Graham, finding a lot of space on the left, crossed well only for Liam Hatch to get under his cross and head badly over the top.
Having dominated the early stages, Barnet had a slack five minutes and paid for it when poor play by Ben Strevens, lead to Halifax midfielder, Dean Howell, picking the ball up in midfield, driving through an off-balance Barnet midfield, rounding Shane Gore and scoring with a firm shot into an empty net for a very well taken goal.
Barnet were a bit unlucky with a possible penalty award ignored following a handball in the area, but further slack play lead to them falling further behind. On 35 minutes, Halifax were awarded a free kick on the right of the penalty area. Barnet’s attempt to play the offside trap failed and centre-back Mark Monington was left with an easy task of slotting his shot past Gore for Halifax’s second goal.
Half-Time: 2-0
Barnet came out for the second half determined to make up for their disappointing first half performance and the players got together for a group huddle before the game re-started.
They were soon rewarded when, five minutes into the second half, following some nice interplay between Graham and Simon Clist, Graham sped down the left touchline, cut in and put a dangerous cross over, which Halifax defender, Steve Haslam, making his home debut, sliced over goalkeeper, Ian Dunbavin into the far corner of the net for an own-goal.
This goal brought Barnet right back into the game and was followed by their best spell of the game. Though Gore had to save smartly following a crisp snapshot from Howell, Barnet were by now in control of the game and were attacking with far more invention, while at the same time closing Halifax down tightly in midfield.
Hatch missed a good chance to put Barnet level when he scuffed his shot well wide when clear of the Shaymen’s defence, before he made amends in the 68th minute. Richie Graham’s run was broken up on the edge of the penalty area, but some slack defending by Halifax lead to the ball arriving at Hatch’s feet on the edge of the penalty area and he made no mistake this time, driving it into the far corner of the net, giving Dunbavin no chance.
A minute later and the comeback was complete. Spotting Dunbavin off his line, Guiliano Grazioli hit a wonderful lob over the former Shrewsbury goalkeeper, into the top of the Halifax goal for a magnificent goal, already, surely, a contender for goal of the year award!!!!!!!
The Halifax fans were stunned into silence as the players all ran towards Paul Fairclough in celebration of Grazioli’s winner. Barnet controlled the rest of the game with Chris Plummer dealing easily with most of Halifax’s poor tactic of using the long high ball.
However, Halifax almost sneaked an equaliser with a fine curving shot from lively midfielder, Martin Foster, which just curled wide of Shane Gore’s left hand post. In spite of a rather surprising four minutes of injury time added on following a half with hardly any stoppages, Barnet held on comfortably for an historic win.
Halifax manager, Chris Wilder must be sick of the sight of Grazioli by now!
Bees Man of the Match: Richie Graham
Halifax Town 1 Barnet 2,8th January 2004,Nationwide Conference
Giuliano Grazioli and Ben Strevens both netted second half goals to allow Barnet to steal all three points at The Shay.
Halifax led at half time but the Bees pulled off a classic sting to stay on course for the play-offs.
Halifax dominated a first half played at break neck speed.
They could have led as early as the tenth minute when a quick free-kick from assistant manager and full back Sean McAuley allowed the impressive Ryan Mallon to fire in a cross, but Christian Lee's shot was off target.
The Shaymen were playing exhibition football at times spraying balls the length and breadth of the park and stringing together intricate but deadly passing moves.
But it was from a goalmouth scramble the breakthrough finally came.
A McAuley free-kick 20 yards from goal was saved by Bees keeper Shane Gore but he could only parry to the edge of the six-yard box, where Lewis Killeen was first to react blasting home.
But it was not all flare and finesse. For the second game in a row Halifax were involved in a mass brawl. On Boxing Day against Scarborough they had two players ordered off, but this time only Lee picked up a caution.
It was all change after the break as Barnet returned to the field a different team.
And quickly they levelled. Strevens burst clear on the right and slid a clever ball into Grazioli, who deftly chipped the ball over keeper Mark Cartwright for his 12th goal of the season.
Ten minutes later the Bees were in front. Captain Ian Hendon blasted a fierce 30-yard thunderbolt straight at Cartwright ,but he couldn't hold it.
Barnet then sat back and protected their lead frustrating Halifax right up until the final whistle.
Deep into injury time Val Owen's 20-yard volley could have tested a nervous looking Gore, but it was tantalisingly off target.
Halifax manager Chris Wilder said he thought his side threw the game away after an excellent first-half performance.
"The difference between the sides is that we had eight or nine good chances and scored once and they had two and scored them both," he said.
Barnet 3-1 Halifax Town,30th August 2003,Nationwide Conference
A hat-trick by Giuliano Grazioli helped Barnet secure all three points in an impressive victory against Halifax Town.
Grazioli got his treble to take his season tally to eight following his summer move to the Bees as part of the transfer that took Junior Agogo to Bristol Rovers.
However, worryingly for Barnet, Grazioli limped off the pitch with ten minutes remaining with an ankle injury.
Barnet had made a great start to the game and Ben Strevens should have opened the scoring but side-footed an effort wide of the post when unmarked in the box.
However, the Bees did not have to wait long before they took the lead in the eighth minute.
Joe Gamble split the Halifax defence with a throughball that found Grazioli and the striker beat Clint Davies from close range.
Halifax quickly fought back and a hopeful free kick from 35 yards taken by Craig Midgley nearly beat Daniel Naisbitt but hit the outside of the post.
The scores were level in the 15th minute when Midgley finished off a great passing move that had involved three players as the Bees defence was carved open.
Just before half time Barnet retook the lead after good work from Mark Williams who impressed throughout the game on the right wing.
He had won a free kick that he took himself and he crossed for the unmarked Chris Plummer to head home from five yards.
Barnet dominated the second half and cruised to the three points. Grazioli grabbed his second in the 51st minute after a Williams corner had been flicked on by Ian Hendon for the striker to score from three yards out.
The fourth Barnet goal came in the 69th minute from a Grazioli shot that took a deflection and left Davies no chance in the Halifax goal.
Norman Silla replaced the injured Grazioli with ten minutes left and almost scored his first goal for the club but hit the post in injury time.
Barnet manager Martin Allen was pleased with the effort of his players saying: "The team played well.
"It was a competitive game and our players have done OK. It was a total performance and they all want to do well and are working hard. Grazioli took a knock on his ankle but we will find out more on Monday."
Halifax 2 Barnet 4,8th Fedurary 2003, Nationwide Conference
Lewis Killeen's two late goals were not enough to stop the Manager of the Month awards curse striking again.
Halifax boss Chris Wilder collected the January gong before kick-off after leading the Shaymen to a run of eight straight wins in all competitions and then watched in horror as his promotion chasers were ripped apart by mid-table Barnet.
Killeen scored what looked to be a mere consolation goal on 71 minutes when he powered in a low shot past Barnet keeper Danny Naisbitt.
But in a frantic fightback, the home side could have come from behind to snatch a point.
Killeen, on loan from Sheffield United, got his second two minutes from time from a Simon Parke flick-on just after midfielder Craig Midgley missed a penalty.
The Town workhorse struck the base of the post after sending Naisbitt the wrong way after John Doolan handled Parke's goalbound shot.
And deep into injury time Halifax defender Kevin Sandwith smashed a rising 35-yard drive off the crossbar.
And again in injury time substitute Andy Farrell nearly won another penalty for the home side when he was dragged down by Barnet's Neil Midgley, but Blackburn referee Mo Matadar waved away the appeals.
Meanwhile, there was still time for Junior Agogo to hit the post from 20 yards at the other end after Town defender Mark Monington's slip.
Earlier, the visitors took the lead when Danny Brown's shot was deflected by Town midfielder Steve Bushell past veteran keeper Lee Butler on 41 minutes.
And then a three-goal blast in nine minutes early in the second half seemed to have wrapped up a comfortable win for Peter Shreeves' side.
Agogo headed in a Brown cross on 47 minutes, defender Greg Heald made it 3-0 five minutes later with a header from a Mark Gower corner and on 56 minutes Agogo got his second when he struck a rising half-volley with the outside of his right boot in off the post.
But despite being 4-0 down Halifax never gave up and made an impressive fightback, which with better luck might have seen them take a remarkable point.
Barnet 0 Halifax 0,31st August 2002,Nationwide Conference
A disappointing game at Underhill between Barnet and Halifax Town finished in a goalless draw.
The main highlights of the game were a saved penalty by Bees goalkeeper Lee Harrison and Mark Arber, the Barnet captain, having to replace Harrison in goals.
Halifax came into this game having conceded 10 goals in their last three matches. They were also looking for their first away goal of the season.
Their manager Chris Wilder wanted a strong performance from his team and they had been working on tactics to avoid conceding a goal against Barnet.
In the early stages of the game Barnet had a few openings when Mark Gower's short free-kick was driven in by John Doolan, but the ball struck the Halifax wall.
Ben Strevens hit a glorious shot from 10 yards with the ball hitting the bar and rebounding back into play.
Attempts by Gower, Arber and Neil Midgley failed to produce a goal.
For Town Phil Haigh had a free-kick from 10 yards when Arber fouled Simon Parke, but the ball went just over the Bees bar.
Minutes later Arber handled the ball in the penalty area although there was no imminent danger. Mr Kettle pointed to the spot but Harrison dived to his right to turn the spot-kick around the post.
In the early stages of the second half Strevens had his shot blocked by Town keeper Lee Butler and it was again Butler who tipped Strevens' 15-yard left-foot shot over the bar for a corner.
Both sides made tactical substitutions in order to score a goal and in the 86th minute home keeper Harrison gathered the ball only for Andy Farrell to crash into him.
The crowd expected to see the red card but the referee decided it only warranted a yellow.
Sadly for Barnet Harrison was stretchered off the field and as Barnet had used their three substitutes they were forced to put skipper Arber in goal and play with ten men, but they held out and Arber was cheered every time he touched the ball