Match report from the afternoon away win versus Gillingham
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Paul Furlong rolled back the years to put in a near perfect striker's performance as he all but guaranteed Barnet's safety in League Two and severely dented Gillingham's automatic promotion hopes in the process.
The former Queens Park Rangers and Luton striker scored in the first half and won a penalty in the second to secure the win for the Bees, who in truth looked the side gunning for promotion rather than the Gills.
In a poor first half in which Gillingham failed to register a single shot on target, it was the visitors, battling to stay in the division, who looked the more dangerous of the two sides.
They showed their intent when Furlong managed to get a shot off on the edge of the penalty box that had Gills goalkeeper Simon Royce stranded as the ball rolled just wide of his far post.
The Bees then took the lead after 23 minutes. Leading scorer John O'Flynn was given too much time on the edge of the Gillingham box, allowing the striker to provide an inch-perfect cross for Furlong, who beat his marker to head into the bottom corner.
In the second half, Gills defender John Nutter had his side's first goalbound effort on 50 minutes when he let fly with a left-foot volley that was well saved by Jake Cole.
Barnet extended their lead four minutes later when Gills defender Mark Bentley was adjudged to have pulled Furlong down just inside the area, referee Kevin Friend showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Bees striker O'Flynn stepped up to net his 17th goal of the season, dispatching the ball into the top right-hand corner past the despairing Royce's dive.
The home side had chances through Simon King, who was denied by a brilliant save from Cole, while Mark McCammon shot wide when presented with an open goal, but it was Barnet who deserved the points. |
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