Barnet lost their second game in a row against struggling Macclesfield at the Hive. The defeat meant that the Bees’ had taken just two points from their last five games. Edgar Davids returned for his first game of the season and Marciano Mengerink made his first start for the club, while Mauro Vilhete also started for the first time this season. Jake Hyde and Keanu Marsh-Brown were both missing leaving the team with a lack of cutting edge.
The Bees should have gone ahead on 9 minutes when Mengerink was fouled in the penalty area by Paul Turnbull, but Mengerink’s penalty was well saved by Silkmen keeper, Rhys Taylor. It was a good save but still a wasteful miss and Barnet were made to pay when Macclesfield took the lead on 27 minutes after Anthony Acheampong gave away a silly free kick and Connor Jennings’ shot somehow escaped a statuesque home defence.
Worse was to come eight minutes later when Graham Stack failed to collect the centre of the penalty area and the ball wasn’t cleared properly and fell to Jennings whose curling shot comfortably beat Stack to increase the Silkmen’s lead. At this point, Barnet looked completely at sea and could have conceded more goals and may have felt glad not to be losing by more than 2-0 at half time. Winger Jack Macreth almost scored when his fierce shot hit the outside of the post.
HT: Bees 0 Silkmen 2
The home side gradually began to get back into the game in the second half but, all the same, Macclesfield still had chances to increase their lead and much of Barnet’s play was very ragged. Luke Gambin was brought on just before the hour in place of Acheampong, who was once again substituted when things were not going well for the Bees.
Macreth came within a whisker of making it 3-0 to the visitors before Barnet finally grabbed a goal on 74 minutes, Mauro VILHETE running onto a clever through ball from Luisma Villa and slotting it past Taylor.
Barnet had a chance to level things late on in the game but Mengerink’s effort went wide and the Bees ended up with nothing, which was probably what they deserved. The defeat saw Barnet slip to 12th place, while Macclesfield climbed out of the relegation area.
Barnet Mad Bees’ Man of the Match: Edgar Davids
Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, Stephens, Acheampong (Gambin 57), Johnson; Vilhete, Weston, Davids, Byrne (Crawford 84), Luisma,; Mengerink.
Subs Not Used: Jupp, Casabella, Abdulla.
Att: 1179