FootyMAD & BM91's Morecambe match preview

                            A CLASSIC ENCOUNTER

On Saturday (4^th September) we entertain Morecambe, one of the promotion favourites this season. However, they have made a poor start this season with only one win from 5 matches and lie just 15^th in the table. On Monday, though, they recorded their first win of the season, a 2-1 home win against Leigh. A likely starter in the Morecambe line up will be Wayne Curtis, who Bees’ fans may remember was sent off last season after receiving two yellow cards, the first of which should have been awarded to already booked Garry Thompson. Ironically, it was Thompson who put Morecambe back in the game with a second half goal in a match that finished 2-1 to Barnet.

Like previous visitors, Northwich, Barnet have played Morecambe each season since they were relegated from the league and, uncannily, Bees have an identical record against Morecambe in the six games they have played since 2001, having won 3, drawn 2 and lost 1 game against their north western opponents.

The defeat came in the first meeting between these two sides, in September 2001, at Christie Park when a John Norman goal gave the home side a 1-0 victory. Since then Barnet haven’t lost against Morecambe and completed the double against them last season, winning 2-1 at home and 3-1 away.

Two seasons ago, Barnet were under the new management of Peter Shreeves and Martin Allen when they met Morecambe at home in March 2002. The previous Saturday, Barnet had won 2-0 away at Hayes, the first match under Shreeves and Allen, with goals from Frazer Toms and Danny Brown.

Under previous manager, John Still, Barnet had been in freefall and having been 3^rd just before Christmas had fallen to 14^th and looked in danger of relegation not having won a league game since early December. All this was to change under the new management team.

The win at Hayes had pushed Barnet up to 11^th place, 3 points and four places below their visitors, but Barnet still had injury problems with Ben Strevens, and Austin Berkley missing. However, Neil Midgley returned to the side to replace Berkley, the one change from the team that played Hayes.

The match was a dour one, Morecambe seeming to be intent on playing a very defensive game, with the aim of maybe grabbing a goal, and the points, on the break. Barnet eventually came more into the game with Mark Gower, Lee Gledhill, Midgley and Toms all bringing saves from Morecambe keeper, Craig Mawson, while Wayne Curtis, yes him again, having a 30 yard shot saved by Lee Harrison.

Both sides almost scored just before half time, Gledhill clearing off the line from Garry Thompson, while Midgley hit the crossbar at the other end.

Early in the second half, Harrison had to pull off a superb reaction save from a miss-hit clearance by Bees’ defender, Mark Arber. However, the game seemed to be drifting towards a goalless draw when Shreeves decided to bring on teenage striker, Toby Oshitola in place of Danny Brown for the last 20 minutes.

Oshitola made a quick impact with his pace and came close to scoring when Wayne Purser broke down the right and crossed for Oshitola to send a powerful shot just wide of the post.

With just five minutes left to play, Purser broke free again and crossed another fine ball over to Oshitola. This time the young striker made no mistake, hitting a fine shot which curled just inside Mawson’s left hand post for a fine debut goal, which wrapped up the game for the home side as Barnet ran out 1-0 winners.

The win turned out to be the second of four straight wins for Barnet, a run that blew any remaining worries about relegation away and Barnet eventually finished fifth after another run of four straight wins at the end of the season.

Teams:

Barnet: Harrison, Gledhill, Flynn, Heald, Arber, Doolan, Gower, Brown (Oshitola), Toms, Purser (Sawyers), Midgley (Niven).

Morecambe: Mawson, McGuire, McKearney, Lightfoot (Porter), Murphy, Drummond, Perkins, Thompson, Norman (Gouck), Curtis (Carlton), Rigoglioso.