On the map, it seems as if Southend should be one of the easier places to visit for away Bees supporters for a Tuesday Night away game. But, it is never easy when you have to touch the M25. That motorway should be renamed the M25 mph If You’re Lucky Road! The amount of roadwork’s and hold ups were ridiculous, but, we got to Roots Hall in the end. I missed the first minute, or so, of the match in fact but, instead of getting another point on the road, the travelling contingent had to endure another journey home without a win.
The first half was disastrous. Barnet couldn’t keep the ball for a decent amount of time, and when the two goals were scrambled in for the home side, I doubt anyone in the stadium was surprised. The second half performance was much better though, and we did manage to rattle the bar and grab a late consolation. I’m actually not too pleased Barnet did that, as now we will probably have to endure the excuses from Fairclough about us being much improved and that the results will improve, but fans aren’t mugs. I am a fan, and I know that we will probably have to endure trips to places such as Bath and Kettering. I am by no means an expert, but getting relegated may also mean, that with such small crowds, we may have to turn back into a semi-professional side, and our academy will become almost non-existent without all the funding from the Football League.
I can’t really see where Barnet have gone wrong. It is not like we are the only team that has had to build almost a totally new team from scratch. Mark Stimson was a disaster. Maybe he didn’t bring in the right players. Paul Sturrock at Southend had to build up an entirely new team, not one player who was in the team that got relegated from League 1 stayed with the Shrimpers, whereas we kept the likes of Jake Cole, Clovis Kamdjo, Joe Devera and Mauro Vilhete. I just do not know where we went wrong. With our fabulous training facilities at the Hive, the players were able to train to a certain extent outside, whereas other teams in our division were limited to gym work. Half of our players don’t seem to even want to be at the club. When Izale McLeod was bought on against Southend, equipped with the obligatory gloves and snood, he sort of strolled on the pitch. He walked on so slowly, it seemed as though he was about to take a roll as a defensive midfielder, before eventually strolling next to Steve Kabba, without a care in the world. I do not want players like that at Barnet, no matter how many goals they score.
The game against Lincoln will be crucial in our season. Lose, and we’re out. End of. A decade of non-league football beckons, at the very least. No longer will I stay up on a Saturday evening, to see the goals, or visit the BBC website to see extended highlights of the match on Monday morning, and that will be hard. It is not over till the ‘R’ is by our name; although I think that time is coming nearer. On Saturday, let’s try and make Underhill more of a fortress, and come to support our ‘wonderful’ team. See you there!