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We've met before
Barnet v Northwich
Saturday 28th August 2004
Nationwide Conference
Attendance: 1422
Score: 4-0
Goals:Barnet: Hendon 38 (Pen), Sinclair 40, Hatch 52, Grazioli 66
The home fans had an unfortunate surprise when the team was announced just before the game. Popular goalkeeper, Shane Gore was missing from the side, giving rookie goalkeeper, Ricky Millard his first Conference start in more than a year. His previous game, at the end of 2002-03, had also been against Northwich. Julian Briquez, signed as cover from Harlow Town, was named on the bench. Ismail Yakubu was still missing from the centre of the defence.
Barnet got off to a strong start, pinning Northwich back in their own half for much of the time. Bees were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Liam Hatch was brought down, but they nearly went behind when Paul Brayson hit a stunning curling shot which somehow rebounded off Millard’s left-hand post.
A few minutes later it was Hatch who hit the woodwork, cutting inside on a mazy run before hitting a fine shot, which hammered against the post. Ben Strevens also saw a fine effort foiled when Northwich goalkeeper, Ben Connett, brilliantly tipped his effort over the bar.
Bees were well in control despite not being able to score and were providing a very entertaining performance with Hatch, Graham, Lee and Sinclair, in particular showing off their skills. Grazioli, also in fine form, also nearly produced a replica of his goal at Halifax, the previous Saturday, when he caught Connett off his line with another spectacular lob. This time, though, Connett was able to recover and tip Graz’s shot over the bar.
Just as Barnet looked to be getting frustrated, they finally got the breakthrough. Strevens found Grazioli in the penalty area and as he was about to shoot, Northwich captain, Peter Handyside, brought the Bees’ striker down. Handyside was, somewhat harshly, red-carded for this and Ian Hendon, stepped up to hammer the resulting penalty firmly past Connett.
No sooner had Bees gone ahead than they scored again, a neat ball over the defence from Richie Graham found Dean Sinclair who drove the ball firmly into the corner of the net to put Barnet two up.
Half Time 2-0
Barnet continued where they had left off and Dwayne Lee almost scored as the post was struck again. Soon after, Liam Hatch made it 3-0 heading home a Richie Graham cross. Northwich should have pulled one back soon after when first Mark Quayle, then Paul Brayson failed to score after Vics had caught Barnet on the break. Ricky Millard pulled off a fine double save.
Grazioli missed an easy chance to add to Barnet’s tally before making it 4-0 with a spectacular overhead kick following a long throw from Ian Hendon. Soon after, Barnet made 3 substitutions, giving trialist, Craig Dobson his debut. Lee Roache had a goal disallowed and Dobson had an impressive 25 minutes to show he has promise with his speed and mazy runs. Altogether a fine result for Barnet.
Bees man of the match: Dwane Lee
Teams:
Barnet: Millard, Hendon, Plummer, King, Clist, Strevens, Sinclair (Bailey 71), Lee, Graham, Grazioli (Roache 67), Hatch (Dobson 67).
Northwich: Connett, Royle, Foran (Norris 15), Handyside, Charnock, McLachlan (Hunter 67), Devlin, Burke, Garvey, Quayle, Brayson (Hadland 56).
Barnet 1-0 Northwich Victoria,November 1 2003,Nationwide Conferene
Giuliano Grazioli's 17th goal of the season was enough to maintain Barnet's push for the Nationwide Conference title and leave Northwich Victoria struggling to get out of the relegation zone.
Grazioli, the division's topscorer, struck after just five minutes in a scruffy game at Underhill.
Barnet were good value for the win, but never really got going against a Northwich team that battled hard but had little to offer.
The home side started brightly with their first move of the game forcing a corner. Simon King swung in a left-footed cross that wad headed on by Chris Plummer for Grazioli to get the faintest of touches.
Grazioli nearly made it two after a powerful run and throughball from Liam Hatch, but the impressive Andrew Ralph was out quick to snuff the danger.
It wasn't until the 20th minute that Northwich strung a decent passing move together and created a chance, but Jonny Allan shot without conviction.
The powerful Ian Hendon then went close on the stroke of half time with a stunning drive that Ralph did well to turn around for a corner.
Within 60 seconds of the restart Ismail Yakabu earned a penalty after being upended by Mark Foran.
Grazioli struck the ball hard and low only to see Ralph dive to his right and made a superb stop.
After that the game deteriorated, both sides happy to punt balls forward. Northwich in particular were toothless.
There was a long wait in the final five minutes while Plummer was treated for a cut to the head, but Barnet remained calm and never looked like conceding a goal.
Bees manager Martin Allen said: "We will take a 1-0 win every week. We won the game and took three points, we never looked like conceding a goal and I was pleased with the keeper keeping a clean sheet.
"This was a very difficult game for us, they well organised, but we did okay and are well placed for November."
Northwich 1-1Barnet -17th April 2004,Nationwide Conference
Northwich discovered the secret of survival a week after landing the wooden spoon.
They deservedly held play-off fighters Barnet and what's more they did it without having a single striker on the pitch.
Manager Shaun Teale said: "That felt like a defeat for me - I was certain I was about to break my duck here at home.
"It was a makeshift side but we played with pride and passion. Barnet could be in Division Three next year but we gave them a real scare.
"If we had played like that all season then we would be no where near the bottom of the league.
"But we have gone down with a whimper and you wonder why the players cannot perform like that every week."Northwich had to absorb heavy pressure in the first half and even more after the break but they did so confidently and did not look like letting go of their lead until Barnet won a late corner.
Joe Gamble's flag-kick was perfectly placed for Liam Hatch to head home from close range and the Londoners suddenly sensed they were in with a chance of winning.
Renewed urgency created another chance when Mark Rooney headed goalward but Ben Connett made a fine fingertip save.
Vics came close to stealing a dramatic win themselves when Shane Gore had to save at full stretch from Chris Royle.
Barnet's game never flowed and three chances went begging before Vics broke via Mark Devlin and Steve Garvey, with Ian Hendon bringing down the former inside the penalty area. Garvey rammed home the spot-kick.
An error by Mark Foran after the restart let Tony Taggart in but he stabbed his shot wide and Barnet's attack disappeared until their late surge.
Barnet 1-0 Northwich Victoria,November 1 2003, Nationwide Conference
Giuliano Grazioli's 17th goal of the season was enough to maintain Barnet's push for the Nationwide Conference title and leave Northwich Victoria struggling to get out of the relegation zone.
Grazioli, the division's topscorer, struck after just five minutes in a scruffy game at Underhill.
Barnet were good value for the win, but never really got going against a Northwich team that battled hard but had little to offer.
The home side started brightly with their first move of the game forcing a corner. Simon King swung in a left-footed cross that wad headed on by Chris Plummer for Grazioli to get the faintest of touches.
Grazioli nearly made it two after a powerful run and throughball from Liam Hatch, but the impressive Andrew Ralph was out quick to snuff the danger.
It wasn't until the 20th minute that Northwich strung a decent passing move together and created a chance, but Jonny Allan shot without conviction.
The powerful Ian Hendon then went close on the stroke of half time with a stunning drive that Ralph did well to turn around for a corner.
Within 60 seconds of the restart Ismail Yakabu earned a penalty after being upended by Mark Foran.
Grazioli struck the ball hard and low only to see Ralph dive to his right and made a superb stop.
After that the game deteriorated, both sides happy to punt balls forward. Northwich in particular were toothless.
There was a long wait in the final five minutes while Plummer was treated for a cut to the head, but Barnet remained calm and never looked like conceding a goal.
Bees manager Martin Allen said: "We will take a 1-0 win every week. We won the game and took three points, we never looked like conceding a goal and I was pleased with the keeper keeping a clean sheet.
"This was a very difficult game for us, they well organised, but we did okay and are well placed for November."
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. Back in November 2002 of this season The Bees played out a thriller at Underhill where the Bees went 3-1 down Junior Agogo then scored twice to level just for John Doolan to score an own goal late on.