Barnet continued their momentum as they prepare for the National League play-offs later this month with a routine 3-1 win over Oxford City.
The hosts started the better of the two sides and had an early opening when top scorer Nicke Kabamba slid through the lively Callum Stead down the left on seven minutes, but he was denied by a goal-saving tackle by defender Mitchell Roberts. The resulting corner saw on loan Oxford United man Gatlin O’Donkor come within inches of giving his team the lead with his head.
The Bees came close again seven minutes later, when Ben Coker’s corner was headed away by City midfielder Ernaldo Krasniqi to the edge of the box, where midfielder Anthony Hartigan took the ball down beautifully on his chest, before firing the ball over the bar.
Barnet continued to put the pressure on the visitors soon after, with Stead forcing a fantastic save from goalkeeper Tom Watson from a tight angle. A few moments later, the number 10 was found by a long ball as the rain started to pour over The Hive, but saw his attempted chip parried out by the goalkeeper before having his low follow up well saved again.
Oxford City rarely threatened throughout the first half and were happy to let the hosts have the ball, with their five at the back formation designed to soak up all the pressure they had to face from the side second in the division.
It was not until the 36th minute that Dean Brennan’s men next threatened, with former Luton Town man Luke Freeman driving a left-footed strike just wide of the mark.
However, on 40 minutes, out of nowhere, it was the visitors who squandered perhaps their best chance of the half. Hartigan had his pocket picked in midfield by Josh Ashby, who slid through forward Harvey Greenslade, and his left footed shot could only find the side netting.
City came close again two minutes later, with Greenslade turning provider for Ashby, who’s powerful drive smacked the chest of Barnet goalkeeper Josh Keeley.
Against the run of play, it was Barnet who finally got the breakthrough that their early dominance deserved right on the stroke of half time, with O’Donkor racing through the finish calmly with a powerful left-footed strike beyond Watson for his fifth league goal since joining the club.
There was time for more drama when in the fifth minute of stoppage time, the lead was very nearly doubled. Stead held the ball up well by the corner flag before an audacious backheel gave full-back Jordan Cropper space to cut the ball back for Kabamba, whose shot was kept out at point-blank range by the impressive Watson.
Half time – Barnet 1-0 Oxford City
Straight after the restart, the visitors were dealt a cruel blow when top scorer with 14 goals this season, Josh Parker, having to leave the field with what looked like a hamstring injury. The Bees nearly made matters worse with Coker’s left footed thunderbolt inches away from being one of the goals of the season, but just evaded the angle between post and bar.
Goalscorer O’Donkor was replaced on 6o minutes by defender Jerome Okimo as Brennan made a double change, with Freeman also departing, with Zak Brunt taking his place as the home side’s most advanced midfielder.
It was Brunt who very nearly made an instant impact after a perfectly-weighted pass by captain Dale Gorman, but saw his low shot kept out once again by the formidable Watson in the Oxford goal. From the resulting corner, Leyton Orient loanee Adam Thompson’s flick on was glanced over the crossbar form point-blank range by Kabamba. Dean Brennan’s side were knocking on the door for a second goal, as Coker’s cross was glanced wide by the head of Gorman as we entered the final 20 minutes at The Hive.
The home support were than furious as central defender Danny Collinge went on a mazy dribble before seemingly being bundled over in the penalty area, but referee Abigail Byrne elected not to give a spot kick, which resulted in bewilderment and frustration around the ground. Three yellow cards were brandished for Barnet for dissent following the decision, including the manager who you have to say did have a very strong case for a penalty.
After complete second half dominance, Barnet finally found that two-goal cushion they were so desperately looking for, Stead with a lofted pass to Brunt who teed up Kabamba for his 22nd league goal of the season with an emphatic finish.
That was Stead’s final contribution to an outstanding performance where he was very unlucky to have not got his name on the scoresheet, being replaced on 82 minutes by Jordan Maguire-Drew. He was straight into the action, with his first touch a goalbound hook that was blocked from very close range by The Hoops’ defence.
With three minutes to play, Barnet deservedly got their third of a comfortable afternoon, with Cropper’s long throw flicked on expertly by Thompson before being turned in by Kabamba from inside the box to notch his second.
Against the run of play, the visitors did pick up a late consolation goal. Thompson struggled to clear a direct ball forward, and Greenslade nipped in superbly to dink the ball over Keeley and give the travelling fans something to cheer about. Greenslade the one bright spark of what was a very underwhelming performance from the side who have not won on their travels since Boxing Day.
The Bees came through six minutes of added time unscathed to record a routine win over their already relegated visitors to move up to 78 points in second place in The National League and put them in a very healthy postiton to qualify for the play-off semi-final stage with four games of the regular season still to play. With the poachers instinct of Kabamba combined with the creativity from Stead, Gorman and Brunt shown today, they will be a real match for whoever they face.
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