2:37pm Thursday 21st April 2005
By Paul Wreyford
Barnet 1 Carlisle United 1
Nationwide Conference
Anyone who did not know that Barnet had already wrapped up the title would never have guessed it from this stirring performance at Underhill on Tuesday night.
The champions might have only been playing for pride, but they certainly proved they are proud men.
They went at the Cumbrians like their lives depended on it and in the process conjured up a cracking end-of-season show for a bumper crowd. And Giuliano Grazioli's superb equaliser six minutes into injury time was a just reward for their efforts.
Manager Paul Fairclough said: "These players just don't know when they are beaten. They go out to win every single game. That's why we are champions."
Barnet threw everyone forward in the closing stages after Carlisle were reduced to nine men following two red cards in two minutes.
But it looked like it would not be their night, with the United goal leading a charmed life.
That was until Grazioli, with his back to goal, teed up a Nicky Bailey cross and sent a spectacular overhead kick into the roof of the net.
It was always going to take something special to break the stubborn Carlisle resistance and, fittingly on this special night, top scorer Grazioli was the man to provide it.
Fairclough added: "Our season was summed up in the final 20 minutes. Winners start strong, winners stay strong and champions finish even stronger. They just refused to give in."
Carlisle, needing at least a point to secure their place in the play-offs, were determined to spoil the party.
But Barnet started the better, with Dean Sinclair being denied at close range by a fine reflex stop from Matty Glennon early on.
The Cumbrians gradually got into the game and Magno Vieira drilled in the opener on 32 minutes after a fine move ended with the ball rolling invitingly into his path off Ismail Yakubu. Chris Lumsden then almost made it two with a deflected free-kick that struck the foot of the post.
The Bees visibly raised their game after the break and created a whole host of chances. Grazioli glanced a header wide and Ben Strevens stretched to reach a Richard Graham cross, but the ball rolled agonisingly across the six-yard box and inches from the post. With 20 minutes to go, a Yakubu header was handled and Tom Cowan was sent off for the offence. Danny Livesey followed for arguing.
Simon Clist, the only regular outfield player without a goal this season, was invited to take the penalty but hit it over.
Bailey and Sinclair both drove across the face of the goal in injury time and the latter somehow saw a close-range header pushed over by Glennon.
But Grazioli had saved the best until last and struck with almost the final kick of the game to send the home fans wild.
BARNET (4-4-2): Tynan; Hendon, King, Yakubu, Clist (Bailey 78); Strevens (Roache 90), Sinclair, Lee, Graham; Grazioli, Hatch. Subs not used: Valadares, Charles, Lopez. Attendance: 3,687. Best Bee: Ian Hendon.
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