Vanarama National League, Saturday January 18th
I was invited along to Roots Hall this weekend by one of my best mates as he was taking his son to his first football game (he tried a couple of years ago but the then six year old wasn't that interested) but now he plays football and has a much bigger interest in it, so I accompanied them along with my mates father too, so three generations of their family, and me, very privileged.
Now the hosts were not having the season they had hoped for so far, and were down in 14th in the division having won eight, drawn nine and lost eight, so quite a mixed and inconsistent campaign so far, they did come into this one off the back of two successive wins though so were looking to turn the corner and maybe have a play off charge perhaps, they were only six points off the top seven at kick off.
The Blues were up against a Barnet side who were looking to go top of the table if results went their way, they sat third in the division and were just a point off leaders Forest Green Rovers, in fact a draw may well have been enough to see them go top on goals scored perhaps, the visitors had drawn their last four games though and hadn't won a league game for a month, could they get that illusive win today and maybe head to the summit, only time would tell.
Another decent crowd of just under 7,000, with almost 400 from North London, were there to see how this one would unfold, the opening twenty minutes see the hosts have the best opening when a cross found an unmarked Nathan Ralph who saw his header blocked on route to goal, but just past the midway point of the first half Barnet were to take the lead with their first effort at goal, defender Danny Collinge rising highest to head home Anthony Hartigan's corner.
It was a poor goal to concede as the hosts left the defender totally unmarked to send his header home, and things went from bad to worse for the home side when Barnet doubled their money twelve minutes before the break when a nice move saw a backheel send Myles Kenlock in down the left before his cross went in off home defender James Golding, Barnet were now cruising and the frustration and discontent amongst the home crowd was starting to show.
The boos at half time certainly suggested that, Southend had barely threatened and looked very blunt up front, Barnet themselves had converted the only two chances they had created in the opening forty five minutes, but they had looked more composed on the ball and just looked the more comfortable side in this contest, with the Blues looking very short of ideas if truth be told, they certainly had plenty to discuss in the changing room at half time for sure.
Changes would need to be made you felt from the hosts too if they were to get back into this game, Jack Bridge was brought on to try and bolster the hosts attack and the Blues thought they had pulled one back when a loose ball was forced home from close range, however visiting keeper Evans was fouled prior to this, so the goal was ruled out, much to the dismay of the home crowd and players.
It probably was a foul though, even if the hosts didn't agree, and on the hour mark the Blues made two more changes, one of those being Macaulay Bonne for Charlie Kendall, which drew discontent from some home fans who then aimed brief chants at their bench of 'You don't know what your doing', it's clear some fans are not happy with manager Kevin Maher and how things are going this season, although the fact they do still have a club after what happened last season is probably a good thing to remember, maybe.
The hosts certainly though were showing more fight and desire in the second period but they were unable to force a route back into the contest as Barnet remained fairly comfortable and kept their opponents at arms length, and with sixteen minutes remaining Collinge headed home his second goal of the contest, again from a corner, to take his tally to three goals for the season and it secured the points and a first win in a month for the visitors.
So. not a good day at the office for the hosts, is Maher under pressure, am sure most Blues fans still want him in charge, but you get the feeling some in the home crowd today are getting tired of him and his side now, it's been a frustrating season for them so far, but it's funny what two or three wins can do, and they have an FA Trophy tie to look forward to next weekend, so maybe a run to Wembley will help too, maybe.
For Barnet it was a very good away showing, and with York losing today it meant they leapt above them and into second, remaining a point behind Forest Green who remain at the summit, oh and my mates boy enjoyed himself despite the result, so that for me was the biggest result of the day!!!
Full time Southend United 0 Barnet 3
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Right, shall we see what else happened in the division today, and how it affects the table:-
Braintree Town 1 (Robinson 17) Solihull Moors 0
Eastleigh 1 (Shade sent off 24, Francillette 27) Altrincham 2 (Newby 6, Crawford 71)
Forest Green Rovers 1 (Sercombe 71) Rochdale 0
Maidenhead United 4 (Abrahams 33,75, McCoulsky 36, Latty-Fairweather 53) AFC Fylde 1 (McFayden 60)
Oldham Athletic 1 (Monthe 41) Aldershot Town 3 (Barrett 44, 45+3, 51)
Tamworth 3 (McGlinchey 17,36, Milnes 66) Boston United 0
Wealdstone 1 (Boldewijn 86) Hartlepool United 1 (Madine 21)
Woking 1 (Beautyman 64(pen)) Ebbsfleet United 1 (Akinola 74(og))
York City 1 (Akinyemi 83) Sutton United 2 (Davies 15,24)
Forest Green stay top after they netted a narrow home win over play off chasing Rochdale, York lost at home to another play off chasing side in Sutton, that allowed Barnet to go second as said in my report in todays game at Roots Hall, one of the most eye catching results of the weekend saw relegation threatened Braintree net a big 1-0 home win over play off chasing Solihull Moors, it was a result that took the hosts to 19th and two points above the relegation spots. The other one being Aldershot's superb win at Oldham, which saw the Shots go four clear of the bottom four as a result.
Tamworth, fresh from their immense performance at home to Premier League Spurs last weekend, saw off relegation threatened Boston United at The Lamb ground to increase their gap to the bottom four to eight points and up to 15th in the table, Maidenhead United netted four in their important game down at the bottom of the league to take all three points against AFC Fylde and see them go a point above the drop zone in the process with that win.
Just four points separate sixth placed Altrincham and 13th placed Hartlepool, whilst only five points cover 17th down to 21st, it is certainly a tight league table in places so plenty of things to play for right now, could be an interesting few months to see what way some sides go and who is celebrating/commiserating come the end of the season.
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