Bees v Shakers

Last updated : 16 September 2008 By Jaybee

Barnet have met Bury 12 times, all in the bottom tier of the football league. Barnet have won three times, Bury two with an amazing seven draws between the two sides. The first meeting was in 1992-93, following the change in name of the league's bottom tier to Division 3. Barnet were to go up at the end of this season to Division 2, but the game at Gigg Lane in September ended in a goalless draw.

In the return at Underhill, in April, Barnet were on the verge of promotion but had been rocked by the recent departure of manager, Barry Fry. Eddie Stein took over as caretaker manager and Barnet won a close match 1-0, the only goal of the game coming when Nicky Evans rose to head home a Paul Showler cross. At the end of the season, Barnet finished third, winning automatic promotion, while Bury finished 7th, but lost out to York in the play-offs. The Barnet side that day was; Phillips, Huxford, Naylor, Bodley (Evans), Barnett (Carter), Sorrell, Payne, Stein B, Bull, Wilson, Showler.

Two years later, with Barnet having been relegated straight back to Division 3, the game at Underhill was again a draw, this time 1-1 with McMahon scoring for Barnet, while Bury beat the Bees for the first time, winning 3-0 at Gigg Lane.

In 1995-96, both matches ended goalless. At the end of the season, Barnet just missed out on the play-offs finishing 9th, but Bury went up automatically, finishing 3rd. The Barnet team that season included current Portsmouth defender, Linvoy Primus, Birmingham goalkeeper, Maik Taylor and Charlton manager, Alan Pardew.

The two clubs didn't meet again until Barnet's return to the football league in 2005. In December, the two sides drew at Underhill with Ben Strevens rescuing a point for the Bees with a late header from a Dean Sinclair corner as the game ended 1-1. The return at Gigg Lane ended in a goalless draw.

The next season, 2006-07 saw the two sides draw at Gigg Lane in September 2-2. Barnet came back twice from behind with goals from Tresor Kandol and an Ian Hendon penalty. Jason Puncheon was sent off for an off the ball incident. The Barnet side that day was; Harrison; Hendon, King, Yakubu (Charles), Gross; Hessenthaler, Sinclair, Bailey, Puncheon; Kandol (Hatch), Veira (Graham).

In the return at Underhill, just after Christmas, Barnet won 2-1 with goals from Nicky Bailey and Adam Birchall.

Last season, Bury won comfortably 3-0 at Gigg Lane in November, ending the Bees' 10 match unbeaten run in the league. In the return at Underhill, Barnet gained suitable revenge winning 3-0, with 2 second half goals from Adam Birchall and 1 for Cliff Akurang. The Barnet team that day was; Harrison; Devera (Parkes), Burton, Leary, Nicolau; Bishop (Carew), Adomah, Porter, Puncheon; Birchall, Thomas (Akurang).