Barnet slumped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup 1st round at Underhill on Saturday. Mark Robson made a number of changes from the side that defeated Chesterfield at the weekend with Sam Cowler replacing Graham Stack in goal; Jon Fortune in place of Krystian Pearce who was not cleared by Notts County to play in the FA Cup, at centre back; Oliver Lee and fit again, Curtis Weston came in for John Oster and Edgar Davids in midfield and Collins John replaced Jake Hyde up front.
The first half was reasonably equal in terms of possession and chances with neither side really creating much. Clovis Kamdjo, who had a fine game in midfield, came the closest for the Bees shooting just wide after a fine passing move on the left. However, with John looking very unfit and laboured up front, Barnet had no real cutting edge and a goalless first half was probably the most that they could aspire too given the starting line up.
HT: Bees 0 Yellows 0
Oxford dominated much of the second half with the Bees never really getting going or creating much and it was no real surprise when the ever dangerous, James Constable score from a simple header following a corner on 56 minutes.
Barnet struggled to get back in the game. Youngster Jamal Lowe came on in place of John and Olly Lee, who was one of Barnet’s better players on the day and Curtis Weston were replaced by Edgar Davids and teenage debutant, Iffy Allen during the second half but it was the visitors who scored again ten minutes from time when Constable played through a suspiciously offside looking, Sean Rigg to double Oxford’s advantage and that was that.
It was a very poor performance from Barnet, who put out a side that looked from the start as though they had accepted they would lose. It was understandable that they wanted to rest some players with tomorrow’s home game with Torquay in mind, but to play with just an unfit striker up front did give the impression that the management didn’t care about the game and had given up before they started it. Obviously the club have problems up front with injuries, but in that case why not strat up front with youngsters, George Sykes and Jamal Lowe? At least they would have run and chased for everything and maybe given the midfield and full backs something to aim at. After all, Iffy Allen was given a run out late on why not start with more youngsters, maybe even give Luke Gambin a game in midfield. They couldn’t have done much worse. Clovis Kamdjo gave a very strong performance in midfield, Andy Yiadom was good in spells and Barry Fuller and David Stephens gave solid performances but that was about it.
Barnet Mad Man of the Match: Clovis Kamdjo
Barnet: Cowler; Fuller, Fortune, Stephens, Brown; Kamdjo, Yiadom, Lee (Davids 73), Byrne, Weston (Allen 73); John (Lowe 60).
Subs not used: O’Brien, Saville, Abdullah, Edgar.
Att: 2346
