Barnet in the Gola League 1985/86

Manager, Roger Thompson was hopeful that the Bees could improve on the previous season when the Bees finished 15^th. Having taken over from Barry Fry in mid season, Thompson now had the chance to prove himself over a whole season. His new signings included Dave Sansom and Robert Codner, both from Fisher Athletic and the former Leicester City and England full back, Steve Whitworth from Mansfield Town.

Barnet started the season away at Telford and gained a creditable 2-2 draw with Nicky Evans and Glyn Creaser scoring the goals for the Bees. However, the first home match saw Wycombe come away with a 1-0 win and this was followed by a goalless draw away at Stafford Rangers. Three further draws followed against Altrincham at home and home and away against Barry Fry's new club, Maidstone who were expected to challenge strongly for the title. Nicky Evans scored a hat trick in the 3-3 draw at Underhill and also scored at Maidstone where the game finished 2-2. Maidstone included five former Barnet players in their ranks; Kevin Millett, Ian Fergusson, Mike Pittaway, Steve Brinkman and Colin Barnes.

Nicky Evans was proving to be the Bees main provider in terms of goals and results and scored both of Barnet's goals in their first win of the season, a 2-0 victory at Kidderminster. He got another brace as Barnet won 3-2 at home to Dagenham in the first round, first leg, of the Bob Lord Trophy; Barnet went through to the next round after a goalless draw at Victoria Road. In between though, Barnet lost 2-1 at home to Frickley and their league form was patchy to say the least. Things began to pick up though as the Bees won 2-1 away at Boston, with former Arsenal winger, Martin Hayes scoring one of the goals. Dave Sansom scored the other goal. Barnet finally won their first league game of the season at Underhill, defeating Dartford 2-0. Hayes scored again to give the Bees their third win on the run, a 1-0 win at Barrow. Hayes scored twice in thre matches for Barnet but then left the club. However, the run came to an end in the next match, Barnet losing 4-2 away at Weymouth.

The Bees bounced back with a 4-1 home win over Dagenham, Barry Little scoring twice. But that run was followed by a slump. It began with a 3-1 defeat at Scarborough and was followed by a humiliating 7-0 defeat at home to near neighbours and deadly rivals, Enfield in the 4^th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. This was followed by a heavy 4-1 defeat at Nuneaton in the league. Roger Thompson's Barnet seemed to be performing in just the same erratic way as Barry Fry's side had in the Alliance.

A Robert Codner goal gave the Bees a welcome 1-0 win at home to Northwich Victoria at the beginning of November. It was Barnet's first win for nearly a month, but the following Saturday, Kidderminster came to Underhill and won 1-0 leaving Barnet in 11^th place and looking like they were heading for mid table mediocrity. Barnet took just two points from the next four league matches, though they qualified for the third round of the Gola League Cup, the Bob Lord Trophy, by beating Bath City 2-1 over two legs. The crunch for Thompson came following Barnet's exit in the 1^st round of the FA Trophy where they lost 1-0 at home to Wycombe Wanderers. Immediately after the match, chairman, Stan Flashman sacked Thompson in the dressing room following an unseemly incident when the two men grappled each other. Former, Tottenham defender, Don McAllister was put in temporary charge.

However, results continued to be erratic. McAllister's first game in charge saw the Bees win their first league match in over six weeks, Nicky Evans scoring the only goal at home to Wealdstone. However, Barnet won just one of the next 11 games, a 3-0 win at home to Boston. Seven of the matches were lost as the club tumbled down the league table. The only good news was a 2-0 home win over Maidstone in the 3^rd round of the Bob Lord Trophy, John Margerrison and Steve Mahoney scoring. In the Semi Final, Barnet were away at Weymouth and had Eddie Stein sent off. However, a Nicky Evans goal put Barnet through into the final to meet Stafford Rangers. This was followed by an excellent 4-1 home victory over Barrow with Nicky Evans scoring a hat trick and a useful 0-0 away draw at Runcorn.

Unfortunately, Barnet then proceeded to lose the next five games, including both home and away legs against Stafford in the BLT Final, losing 3-1 on aggregate. Barnet slumped towards the bottom of the table, but, amazingly, the Bees won their last four matches of the season with three 1-0 wins; away at Northwich and at home to Bath and Scarborough. Barnet finished the season with an impressive 3-0 home win over Kettering with Dave Sansom scoring twice.

Barnet's fine end to the season masked the fact that they only finished 5 points above the relegation zone, but nevertheless the club finished in 14^th position, comfortable enough looking position, even if it was rather misleading. Their end to the season form typified the yo-yo performances of Barnet that season, and, indeed, of nearly every season since the Bees were elected to the Alliance in 1979. Ironically, Maidstone finished three places and five points below Barnet. Barnet gained some consolation by winning the Herts Senior Cup. They defeated Tring Town, St Albans City and Hitchin Town on the way to the final without conceding a goal. In the final, played at Bishops Stortford, Barnet won 4-0 against Stevenage Borough with two goals from Dave Sansom and one apiece from Peter Brown and Glyn Creaser.

Don McAllister had been given until the end of the season to prove himself worthy of a longer term contract but Stan Flashman felt that he wasn't up to the job and decided to look for a more experienced manager. He didn't have to look far. Maidstone sacked Barry Fry and Flashman appointed Fry as the new manager of Barnet for his second spell at the club.

It was even more important that Barry Fry's second spell at the club should be more successful than his first as for the new, upcoming season, the champions of the Gola League, now renamed the GM Vauxhall Conference, would win automatic promotion to the Football League Division 4 and Flashman wanted to be there.

Scorers:

Gola League Final Table 1985/86