The first time that Barnet and Preston North End met was in the 1964/65 season in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. The previous season, Preston of the 2nd division (now Championship) had got all the way to the FA Cup final where they met 1st division (now Premier League) West Ham United and after a hard fought game lost 3-2.
Barnet, then an amateur Athenian League side, had got to the 3rd round after having began their cup journey in the 1st qualifying round where they had defeated Harlow Town 2-0. After that they worked their way through the qualifying rounds by defeating Hertford Town, Stevenage Town and Walthamstow Avenue before being drawn to play Southern League, Cambridge United at Underhill in the 1st round proper. Two Tony Harding goals saw the U’s off in a 2-1 win for Barnet who then faced Isthmian League, Enfield in the 2nd round. The Bees defeated their close rivals 3-0 after a replay with Reg Finch scoring twice and Roger Figg also scoring to set themselves up for an exciting home game with the previous season’s finalists.
Barnet had never reached the 3rd round stage before and a record 10.861 packed Underhill for this historic match. However, the match was nearly as good as won for the Lilywhites within a few minutes as the home side started in a manner than suggested that they were overawed by their opponents. Within 90 seconds, Howard Kendall, who at 18 had become the youngest player to play in an FA Cup Final in the game against the Hammers, scored from a free kick from the edge of the penalty area past Barnet keeper, John Barr, who was unsighted and then shortly after, Preston centre forward, Dawson, miscued a shot only for it to fall to Godfrey who turned the ball into the goal to put the visitors 2-0 up and it looked as though Barnet were going to be on the end of a heavy defeat. And, maybe that should have been the case because in the opening half hour, apart from the two goals, Kendall hit the post, Dawson headed a cross on to the bar and Barnet right back, Warman cleared a Dawson header off the line so it could have been 5-0 to Preston.
Maybe though, Preston became complacent because Barnet slowly began to edge their way back into the game and Preston keeper, Alan Kelly had to make a fine save from a Tony Harding header which he just managed to push onto the post. However, at half time, Preston led 2-0. However, Barnet started the second half in storming fashion and within eight minutes of the restart it was all square at 2-2. Roger Figg slid home Reg Finch’s cross to make it 2-1 and then Don Whyte made it 2-2 firing home after Harding had headed the ball on to him. Unfortunately for Barnet, Figg pulled a muscle in his thigh shortly after and was mainly a passenger after that hobbling on the left wing, Finch coming inside. There were no substitutes in those days. However, the goals had spurred the Bees on and they continued to take the game to Preston and it looked as though a major cup shock could be on, despite Figg’s injury.
Tragedy struck, however, for the Bees with 10 minutes remaining when left half, Terry Casey slid to stop a cross from Preston left winger, Holden reaching Godfrey who was lurking inside the home penalty area. Casey was trying to push the ball wide of the post for a corner but sadly for the Bees it just crept inside the post for an own goal which gave Preston what turned out to be a decisive lead. Casey lay down in the mud with his face in his hands in despair and his mistake ended the Bees cup run, but it was a very brave performance from the raining Athenian League champions.
At the end of the season, Barnet were crowned Athenian League champions again, but for the last time as the cub relinquished their amateur status and joined the brave new world of professional football and entered the Southern League. Preston were themselves knocked out in the next round losing 2-1 at home to Bolton Wanderers. The Barnet team that day was, Barr; Warman, Voyce; Picking, Roach, Casey, Whyte, Brimacombe, Figg, Harding, Finch.
