Badly Stung

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 20/09/2025

IT'S back to league action after Tuesday night's exploits. The setting is a familiar one: The Hive at Barnet, or Edgware to be precise. It's one of those grounds I've visited a few times, even though Barnet only moved here in 2013.

Leaving aside the cup games, I wasn't sure what form we were bringing into this game after two lacklustre home performances sandwiching a dazzling first half at Milton Keynes, followed by a poor second. I really don't know how a group of players can go from playing like Brazil to losing focus and being unable to string two passes together, and I doubt whether Head Coach David Artell does either. I find it hard to believe that the players are distracted by the prospect of cup games unless they have a very strange mentality, as without having the professional experience myself, I'd have thought that once you're on the pitch you'd be concentrating on that game and not anything else. For today, we could take heart from the good away wins at Walsall and Milton Keynes. Barnet's progress has more predictable. After gaining promotion from the National League, the start was slow as they adjusted to the higher division but in recent times they have started winning, albeit away from home. Their form at the Hiive has been poor, so the compact pitch which it could be argued wasn't in Town's favour hasn't given Barnet any advantage so far this season.

As always, Town's fans, making up about 30 percent of today's crowd of 3,260, packed the away end and filled the spacious bar in this modern compact ground. The home club colours, ground name and nickname of "The Bees" point to a corporate being - "We are the Bees, welcome to the Hive" - but this is one of the acceptable kind. I'm even classified as a "Golden Bee" for ticketing purposes. As I'm only paying £17 for it, I'm happy with that. With bigger clubs around, Barnet need all the fans they can get. If people like the orange and black fanfare, then so bee it. Let's just hope we weren't going to be stung today. Much better that we would continue to be the bee's knees as we progress through the early stages of the season. Town's starting line-up today was: Pym - Rodgers, Warren, McJannet, Staunton - McEachren - Amaluzor, Walker, Khouri, Vernam - Kabia. The cream kit was the order of the day to face the Bees of Barnet.

Barnet won a corner after 15 seconds following a lightening run from Glover. As the home side looked to press forward, it was apparent that they had the advantage of a strong wind. Ndlovu marked himself out early on as the pantomime villain, pulling down McJannet and then falling over after a Glover pass, ludicrously claiming a penalty. Smith won a corner with a fierce shot. Warren headed clear. Kanu got outside. Shots rained in. Town weren't getting a look in. Rodgers moved up in a rare foray into the Barnet half but lost possession. This time Stead ran on and cut inside but was marshalled outside. Finally Town made meaningful progress into Barnet's half on 15 minutes after a McEachren interception. Khouri found Vernam who won a corner from which Warren couldn't make clean contact as he scrambled to make a connection. Town were looking to exercise some control when Kanu found space on the left, crossing for Glover who headed downwards into the side netting. On 22 minutes Walker found Kabia who went on a run. Collinge did the proverbial taking one for the team, fouled Kabia and received a yellow card. Ndlovu found space a minute later. Pym saved low. Rodgers did well to find Amaluzor who advanced. His shot was blocked as was Rodgers's attempt from the rebound. Amaluzor had another shot following a deft through ball from Khouri but having found space, was only able to strike his shot with his weaker left foot. With 30 meters minutes gone, Barnet attacked. Warren tackled, and Town's defence rallied and struggled to clear the threat. After another Warren block, Town moved up. Kabia's shrugged off the defender and found Vernam who took too much time controlling the ball. But Town moved upfield again. McEachen found Kabia's who was sent out wide. Barnet won a corner in 37 minutes. Pym was alert to Glover's cross. As Barnet threatened again, Walker pickpocketed Kanu. Khouri played a through pass to the on-running Vernam whose attempt was decent but wide. Barnet came back and won a corner on 43 minutes. Shelton crossed. Ofoborh received the ball outside the box on the left. No challenge was forthcoming. His attempt which was something between a cross and a shot bounced in the box, span, looped up and over into the net. Barnet 1, Town 0. Two minutes later Ndlovu was sent clear and should have scored but fired wide of Pym. So it remained 1 - 0 to Barnet at half time. After their endeavour and rapid attacks, Barnet deserved their lead but with the wind behind Town in the second half the prospect was of a different game.

Barnet were quickly onto the front foot again with their wingers combining as the second half began. Kanu's cross found Glover whose shot went wide. Smith then went close with a header from another Kanu cross, before Barnet won a corner. Shelton's cross ran across the face of the goal. With 55 minutes gone it was all Barnet as Shelton sent in another free kick. Town had had no sustained attacks so far. The team looked downcast as they chased, only to find themselves being beaten to the ball. For a moment Town looked to break the torpor as McEachren, Walker and Vernam combined but Vernam couldn't keep control and the ball dribbled over the goal line as Town threatened. Nothing was coming off even when Town were able to put two passes together. But briefly Town showed signs of stepping up the intensity. Walker almost sent in Kabia before Vernam found space and sent a trademark curler just wide. Barnet responded with a Glover shot and corner from which Tavares headed onto the top of the net. Pym was then forced into a last ditch save from a Kanu shot. From the corner Ndlovu headed onto the top of the net, but Barnet came back before Town could get the ball out. Kanu in a more central position than usual passed to Ndlovu who with Town's defence all at sea had the simplest of tasks to make it 2 - 0 with 64 minutes gone. Burns and Oduor came on for Kabia and Walker. Sensing blood Barnet to their credit continued to press and won yet another corner. The ball fell to Ofoborh who as in the first half found himself unmarked outside the box. This time he smashed his shot cleanly into the left corner. 3 - 0 to Barnet. Town looked demoralised. McEachren tripped Kanu on the left edge of the box. This time Ofoborh was crowded out. With 74 minutes gone Turi and Soonsup-Bell replaced Vernam and Khouri. But it got no better for Town. Whatever Town did, it wasn't working. Shelton had a close-range shot saved on 76 minutes. McEachren was losing the ball, Turi slipped, others fell over. It wasn't a good watch. Town were being outrun by a skilful Barnet side. And the sideways rain now came down. Sweeney replaced Staunton. As Barnet made multiple substitutions with the game all but won, many of Town's 1000 plus followers left The Hive in resignation. Soo sup-Bell earned a free kick following a run, then a charging run by a McJannet earned a corner for Town and showed an energy which had been lacking in our play.. Better work by McEachren led to McJannet winning another corner on 89 minutes but again Town struggled. It was mere formality in any case. With 6 minutes added Town won a throw deep in the Barnet half from which Amaluzor had a weak but accurate shot on target, prompting ironic cheers from Town's fans. The game was played out in an air of inevitability. Barnet 3, Grimsby Town 0.

We may have thought we were the Bees Knees but today we were second best in all areas. Town were incohesive and barring determination from Warren and McJannet lacked quality and intensity. If we played like this every week, I'd be concerned, and there have been some lacklustre performances, but there has been enough evidence to suggest we are better than this. It's over to Mr Artell to re-inject the quality and bring about the improvements he's always talking about. As I returned on the underground, I met two Town fans who'd spent their morning visiting historic pubs. I bet they wish they'd continued their quest. For my part, I could have gone to my local food festival in Abergavenny instead of making the trip to North London for this. I had a nice day out, but this was no feast of football today.. In fact, Town played as if they'd just spent a day at the Abergavenny food festival. This was more of a collective fiasco on the pitch where the underperforming Mariners were badly stung.

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