2023. A great year to have been following Barnet FC, all clubs have their cycles of ups and downs it’s the same in any sport and no doubt there are a few of you who cast an eye over the Bees results as a result of my following.
I’ve certainly attended far more games than I ever planned to, both this season and last. Back on the season ticket trail, I’m always conscious that this is a non-league football blog and not a Barnet FC blog, there is a separate place for those ramblings here (add LINK).
But occasionally it lands here and the final visit to The Hive on Saturday afternoon was the fitting end to a calendar year for the home side and their visitors Southend Utd.
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Why? Well, the Bees finished in the play-offs last May, a far cry from the 18th position of the previous season, a remarkable turnaround and FA Trophy semi-finalists to boot, a crazy season where those ups and downs fitted into that nine months.
Ironically, this return fixture last season was a turning point for Dean Brennan’s Bees. At the time Kevin Maher’s outfit were the form side in the Vanarama National League and completely outplayed their opponents.
Others disagreed and believed we were tactically naïve and some out of their depth, you have to know when to tip the cap and applaud the opposition, if these guys were top drawer both management and players they wouldn’t be at this level. Barnet went on a mad three month unbeaten run after that match, football just works that way.
The Shrimpers plight has been well documented for months and years, not least by me but plenty of others and finally days before our Boxing Day fixture at Roots Hall it was announced contracts were exchanged between Ron Martin and the new consortium.
A party atmosphere was cut short in the return fixture, Barnet running out 2-0 winners. The transfer embargo lifted; Maher was able to bring in a new recruit before this game but still unable to name a full bench of players.
A couple of changes for the Bees, Danny Collinge and Connor Stevens sitting this one out and Ben Coker starting on the left hand side. A drab afternoon weatherwise didn’t lend itself to the occasion, a packed out away end willing their Shrimpers onwards but the game itself was void of much life.
Too much too close to each other? The return fixture just four days after the original and it will be interesting to see, writing this before the other return games on New Years Day how many clubs pick up win doubles.
Neither keeper had a save to make in the first half tells you the story of the first 45, Southend very lightweight up front and Barnet lacking any creative assurance at the other end. Having already gained a maximum six points from their other festive fixtures the Bees probably the happier, Southend possibly not undeterred at half time either.
The visitors certainly had more of the ball in the second half as they did days earlier, but again chances were at a premium, defending was the winner.
Brennan made changes to try and force a winner, Jordan Cropper replacing Finlay Potter, Jordan Maguire-Drew on for Dale Gorman and Idris Kanu giving Reece Hall-Johnson a breather.
And they did in fact get that winner, with six minutes left on the clock, Cropper’s long throw into the box was headed home by Ade Oluwo for the Bees.
A late sucker punch for the visitors and despite a strong late rally including some fantastic saves from Laurie Walker the Shrimpers couldn’t break through. In fact the Bees should have doubled their lead, an exquisite through ball from Maguire-Drew put Kanu one on one with Collin Adeng-Ndi but the winger hit his shot straight at the keeper, Barnet however taking the points to keep up the pressure on Bromley for 2nd spot.
A perfect festive period for Brennan’s Bees, nine points from nine, nine goals and three clean sheets, a sign the recent blip has now passed and back on the upward curve watched by a superb 4,041 containing more home fans than the sell out visitors.
A draw was a fair result from this one I felt, and not much for either side to learn from the game. 2024 is the start of something new for the Shrimpers and I’m really pleased for all I know connected with the club, headlines for all the wrong reasons for too long and with a secure future now in place things will begin to move at pace for them.
Tough January coming up for the Bees, but to me every fixture in this league is tough, relentless, no let up, you have to be on it every single week. But wouldn’t you rather be involved in these games than fighting for your lives to stay up?
As always a great day with mates, Lee and Jack Crocker, Dave Mercado and Ian Elliott to name a few, many more faces it was good to see once again.
A very brief catch up with Darren Currie afterwards and his brother Lee, great people and of course never forgetting Daz was the catalyst for where I am today, forever thankful for that.
The best of the day however, Chris Phillips of the Southend Echo. Both of us are part of a seven strong Twitter group of bloggers and fans which has been going for a long while, fantastic guys and Chris is the first from the group I’ve had the chance to meet personally.
He’s been through the mill for years following and reporting on the Shrimpers, a reward for him as much as anyone else within and outside that club, there were times where he feared the club he loved would be no more, Bees fans know how that feels, finger crossed both clubs are only heading forwards and onwards.
