Barnet 4 Bradford 1
I was in a funk of indecision this morning about whether to go to Loftus Road or not for the 5pm Sky game, until I decided to dodge the question entirely by throwing Barnet a bone instead. Inspired decision in hindsight. Barnet recorded a thumping win, their first at home for some time. QPR legend Paul Furlong lined up for the Bees against a visiting defence that included the not quite so legendary Zesh Rehman.
The experience of Furlong, Gary Breen and Matt Lockwood helped Barnet to look a lot more convincing than the last time I saw them, whenever that was, and the home team had the best of it even before Breen played Albert Adomah in to slot home the opening goal. Joe O'Flynn added a second with a glancing header just before the break to make the score a comfortable looking 2-0 at half time.
Even I know, however, that Barnet have been tossing leads away for fun this season, and the alarm bells were clanging when Bradford scrambled in a goal from a set piece. Fortunately they were almost immediately silenced when Adomah reached the byline and pulled back for Furlong, whose cross-shot was tapped in by Yannick Bolasie. Four minutes later the game was over as Joe Devera swapped passes with Adomah, stepped inside a defender and finished neatly for 4-1. Barnet could have added one or two more but no matter as Bradford pretty much gave up at that point. They looked poor for a team in the playoff zone, and I am unsurprised to report that Rehman doesn't look any more comfortable two divisions down.
The old heads have clearly helped Barnet a lot, and the younger players around them looked confident from the start, despite their low league position, which was a good sign, and it looks like Barnet have enough to hold off the teams below them who are still struggling to overcome huge points deductions.
The double wasn't to be though, I made it home just in time to see Ipswich equalise ; they were the better side from that point on and ran out 3-1 winners against a Rangers side who looked disturbingly flat and tired, especially with 8 games in 4 weeks coming up. Unfortunately, a considerable improvement on the road has been cancelled by 4 average to poor home performances in a row (well they were OK against Reading I suppose) ; we just don't look threatening going forward unless it's on the break. Still a lot of work to do, but what the hell, it's February and we are totally safe from relegation which is something.
The experience of Furlong, Gary Breen and Matt Lockwood helped Barnet to look a lot more convincing than the last time I saw them, whenever that was, and the home team had the best of it even before Breen played Albert Adomah in to slot home the opening goal. Joe O'Flynn added a second with a glancing header just before the break to make the score a comfortable looking 2-0 at half time.
Even I know, however, that Barnet have been tossing leads away for fun this season, and the alarm bells were clanging when Bradford scrambled in a goal from a set piece. Fortunately they were almost immediately silenced when Adomah reached the byline and pulled back for Furlong, whose cross-shot was tapped in by Yannick Bolasie. Four minutes later the game was over as Joe Devera swapped passes with Adomah, stepped inside a defender and finished neatly for 4-1. Barnet could have added one or two more but no matter as Bradford pretty much gave up at that point. They looked poor for a team in the playoff zone, and I am unsurprised to report that Rehman doesn't look any more comfortable two divisions down.
The old heads have clearly helped Barnet a lot, and the younger players around them looked confident from the start, despite their low league position, which was a good sign, and it looks like Barnet have enough to hold off the teams below them who are still struggling to overcome huge points deductions.
The double wasn't to be though, I made it home just in time to see Ipswich equalise ; they were the better side from that point on and ran out 3-1 winners against a Rangers side who looked disturbingly flat and tired, especially with 8 games in 4 weeks coming up. Unfortunately, a considerable improvement on the road has been cancelled by 4 average to poor home performances in a row (well they were OK against Reading I suppose) ; we just don't look threatening going forward unless it's on the break. Still a lot of work to do, but what the hell, it's February and we are totally safe from relegation which is something.
posted by Andy_Ward @ 7:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home