Barnet were unchanged from the side which started away at Bristol Rovers the previous Saturday with Michael Hector, Jack Saville and Paul Downing all starting the match.
It was Macclesfield who had the best chance of a poor opening period of the match with Matt Hamshaw seeing his shot saved comfortably by Dean Brill on 20 minutes.
Jack Saville, the young Bees defender on loan from Southampton, almost gave Barnet the lead with a header himself from a Mark Byrne corner, but this didn’t trouble the away side’s Cape Verde international goalkeeper Jose Viega, who allowed the ball to drift wide of his post.
On 40 minutes though, the Bees finally managed to sting the travelling side. Mark Marshall was clearly hauled down in the penalty area by Carl Tremarco, who earned a yellow card for his troubles. Izale McLeod stood up to take the spot kick and was coolly on hand to slot the ball into the corner of the net, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
It was evident which side was now on the front foot and moments after the goal, a Mark Byrne corner was headed wide by fellow Irishman Mark Hughes, who had been left unmarked in the penalty area.
On the stroke of half time, Barnet were given the perfect opportunity to double their advantage, this time when Veiga brought down Sam Deering in the penalty area. The referee took pity though and awarded a yellow card, instead of a red, but that wasn’t to deter McLeod, who again stood up and placed the ball into the corner of the net for his 12th League goal of the season so far.
Barnet started the second half much like they started the first half, attacking, and on top. Sam Deering had a brilliant effort on the half volley which drifted wide of the post, whilst on the hour mark. Mark Byrne hit a 40 yard free kick which flew just past the post.
Those wasted opportunities, may have proved critical, as almost immediately the Cheshire side halved the deficit. A good move down the left hand touchline resulted in Ross Draper playing the ball across the six yard box, providing Hamshaw with the perfect opportunity to fire the ball into the roof of the net.
But Draper, who did so well setting up Macclesfield’s goal, soon turned from hero to villain, as on 63 minutes, the former Shrewsbury Town trainee lunged in dangerously two footed into a challenge on Michael Hector, and the referee seemingly had no choice but to send the midfielder off. On the night, Macclesfield ended with a disgraceful seven yellow cards to their name, as well as that straight red card.
Despite being down to ten men, a cross- shot by Hamshaw from the right hand touchline, had to be tipped over the crossbar by Dean Bill in the Barnet goal, much to the delight of the home supporters.
Barnet boss Lawrie Sanchez introduced two new signings to the home faithful, Gavin McCallum on loan from Lincoln and Cedric Baseya, on loan from Reading, and Baseya almost made an immediate impact, heading just wide of Macclesfield’s goal from Mark Byrne’s free kick on 78 minutes.
Despite some nervy last moments though, the home side were able to hold on to the 2-1 lead until the final whistle, and now face two cup games in quick succession, MK Dons in the FA Cup next Saturday, before entertaining Brentford in the Johnston’s Paint Trophy the following Tuesday.
Man of the match: Izale McLeod
