Northwich 1 Barnet 1

Last updated : 26 April 2003 By Footymad Previewer

A humdrum mid-table game exploded into a second-half thriller.

Both sides seemed to forget the end of the season was upon them and the final period was packed with goal mouth incidents.

Barnet went in front and struck the woodwork twice as they threatened to run riot. However Northwich levelled, also hit the frame of the goal and missed two sitters.

Both sides could have trebled their scores or even more but a draw was fair.

The threat early on was scant until the half hour mark when Ricky Millard flung himself backwards to turn away Gareth Owen's goalbound long-range shot. In doing so, he seemed to launch the game to a higher level.

Before the break, Danny Brown won an unlikely challenge near the by-line, but showed the inexperience of teenage goalkeeper Ben Connett, who was drawn hopelessly out of position. Steve Davis scuttled back to belt the goal off the goal-line.

Twice Jonny Allan headed Greg Rioch crosses over and Connett atoned for his earlier error by making a great reaction save from Craig Pope.

The tempo did not falter after half time and immediately upon the resumption Millard's agility was tested by Mark Devlin.

Then David McNiven was embarrassed by his own close-range missed header from an Andy Taylor cross and Richard Norris was within a few inches of scoring.

But then the momentum swung Barnet's way.

Junior Agogo found space for his powerful surging runs and he fended off the challenge of Chris Royle before slipping the ball to Mark Gower whose shot cannoned off a post. Connett saved from Gower at the second attempt as Barnet built up a head of steam which ended in a goal in 66 minutes.

Gower did the approach work and his shot was deflected wide of the mark, but into Agogo's path and he scored from an acute angle.

While Barnet still had the upper hand, Agogo slammed another shot against a post but the balance of play again changed.

Northwich should have levelled when Damien Whitehead found Allan unmarked at the far post and a simple tap-in from a few feet was called for, but incredibly the striker managed to clear the bar.

All was well however after 79 minutes when Norris scored with a full stretch header from Steve Garvey's low cross.

Allan then crashed a header against the angle of post and bar and Barnet mustered a response through Lee Flynn's rising 25-yarder before the game caught its breath and petered out.