Barnet were playing under Paul Fairclough in the first match since Edgar Davids’ departure and they gave a shocking performance as they crashed 3-1 at the Hive to lowly Aldershot who thoroughly deserved their win against a totally inept home side. It was one of the poorest Barnet performances for some time, certainly this season and the team came away with what it deserved; nothing.
Aldershot went ahead with a flukey goal on 3 minutes when a Jordan Roberts cross deceived Jupp, who had a torrid time in goal for the Bees and crept into the goal. The setback semed to knock the stuffing out of the home side and they were fortunate not to have been further behind by the break, but actually went in at half time on level terms after a stunning goal by Mauro VILHETE who scored just on half time with a stunning drive from all of 25 yards that flew past the Aldershot keeper.
HT: Bees 1 Shots 1
Barnet started the second half quite brightly and Jake Hyde wasn’t too far off with a volleyed shot from the edge of the penalty area but on 48 minutes, Bradley Bubb was allowed all the time and space in the world to run through the home defence and slot past Jupp who should perhaps have done better and the team basically collapsed and went 3-1 down 7 minutes later when Mark Molesley scored from the edge of the penalty area with a well hit volley but under no pressure. Indeed it was clear he was going to score even before he had the shot.
The rest of the half was entirely forgettable and Barnet never looked like getting back in the game and can have no complaints about losing the match. It certainly appeared that Paul Fairclough had tried to change the way the team should play from the very patient passing style of Edgar Davids and in the end it was neither one thing or the other and the team, frankly, looked like a group of players who had only just met. It was, to be honest, embarrassing.
FT: Barnet 1 Aldershot 3
Barnet: Jupp; Yiadom, Saville (Acheampong 60), Stephens, Brown (Nurse 66); Marsh-Brown, Weston, Byrne, Vilhete, Gambin (Crawford 46); Hyde
Subs not used: Barnes, Casabella