With Barnet doing pretty well again this season it seems an age whenever I have a gap in games to watch involving the Bees. With Tuesday night’s FA Cup replay on the horizon I hadn’t planned on heading to The Hive.
That all changed when my fellow PNLP host Gaz decided he fancied the drive, it’s very rare I get chauffeured that far so it seemed a good idea for his yearly visit to the stadium.
Heading to face the Bees were Maidstone Utd, fresh from a Cup giant-killing last weekend and riding high in the National League South after relegation last year, a slow start now well in the distance.
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Dean Brennan went strong as he has in every cup competition, and with the chance to make five substitutions from seven, get the job done early and then rest a few starters.
In bright sunshine but a cold wind, the first couple of minutes belonged to the Stones, looking to take advantage of the Bees not having won in the last five games, and could have had an early goal but Barnet soon took control of possession and whilst moving the ball nicely between players penetration didn’t really materialise.
The home side could have been in front after 20 minutes, Nicke Kabamba with a deft flick towards goal didn’t however fool former Worthing FC stopper Lucas Covolan.
The deadlock was broken on the half hour mark, Idris Kanu who was enjoying plenty of the ball down the left flank fizzed a cross into the box and George Fowler diverted the ball past Covolan to give the Bees the lead.
Ten minutes later the lead was doubled, Harry Pritchard’s fierce shot was pushed out by Covolan, Kabamba reacting quickest to fire the ball past the keeper, no chance for the Stones custodian.
Worse was to come for Maidstone before half time, a long ball over the top saw Covolan not really decide whether to come for the ball or stay, Kabamba nipped in, took it past the keeper and kept his composure to roll the ball into the net from 20 yards for a 3-0 interval lead.
With the Bees in a strong lead, Danny Collinge sat out the second half and a return for Connor Stevens. The Stones did apply some early pressure but nothing to trouble Laurie Walker in the home goal and then came the most controversial moment of the game.
Seven minutes into the half Reece Hall-Johnson received a kick to the head in his own box, certainly a foul and maybe a yellow card but Timmy Abraham was shown a straight red card which killed the rest of the half as a contest.
Having brought on ex-Bee loanee Michael Petrasso at half time going down to ten men changed the complexion of the game and the winger didn’t get much of a chance to make an impact.
The Bees pretty much strolled through the second half, probing for openings across the pitch but did add a fourth goal seventeen minutes from time, Dale Gorman corner’s evading everyone and finding its way into the net to wrap up a very convincing win for the hosts.
Substitute Jordan Cropper almost put the icing on the cake with three minutes but Covolan superbly tipped the ball over the bar to keep the score at four and place in the next round for Barnet.
No one player massively stood out for the Bees, a very good team performance that was needed after the last five weeks, a few goals and a clean sheet just what the doctor ordered.
Maidstone were very disappointing, whether the last seven days has taken a lot out of their squad with a midweek game as well it was hard to tell, I certainly expected a bit more quality for a side who are chasing an instant return to non-league’s top flight.
I was looking forward to seeing what Petrasso had to offer having been denied seeing him in action at Steyning Town way back in September when he was first signed, a bright start until the early sending off changed the game and then frustration set in more than anything else.
After the draw on Monday afternoon a trip to Radcliffe or Redditch awaits the Bees in the fourth round in January, again a good chance of progress in a competition where the club and it’s supporters would certainly love to go one step further this season.
