Bees out of FA Cup

6:37pm Saturday 5th November 2005

Barnet 0 Southend United 1 . . .

A Freddy Eastwood goal within two minutes was enough to send Barnet out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle.

But few will be able to explain why there were no more goals in the remaining 88 minutes of a pulsating tie.

Both sides carved out numerous chances.

Barnet manager Paul Fairclough said: "It was a great cup tie for the supporters.

"I'm disappointed with the result but proud of the players. All you can ask as a manager and supporter is for the players to give 100 per cent.

"If, at the end of the day, that is not enough, then so be it."

Barnet did indeed give everything and should have at least earned a replay, Jason Norville missing their best chance minutes into the second half.

Fairclough said: "Jason should have scored. It might have made a big difference at that time."

Southend were on the back foot for most of the first half after Eastwood had fired them in front within two minutes. He was allowed time and space to pick his spot from the edge of the area. His shot took a deflection and keeper Ross Flitney had no chance to readjust his position and make a save.

Flitney went on to make some superb saves after the interval to keep his side in it.

Fairclough said: "Ross is absolutely gutted. He's only been beaten by a deflected shot."

Barnet responded to the terrible start really well and carved out some great openings in a one-sided first 45 minutes.

Ben Strevens flicked a header from an Ian Hendon cross just over and then sent Dean Sinclair down the right with a fine ball, but the midfielder's driven shot was saved by the legs of keeper Bart Griemink.

Liam Hatch beat Griemink to an Adam Gross cross but his header went a foot wide.

The final chance of the half fell to Norville, but, after a neat turn, he scooped the ball over the bar from just inside the area.

The second half started in explosive fashion. Within a minute, Flitney had brilliantly blocked a Shaun Goater volley and, on the break, Hatch centered for the oncoming Norville, but he somehow put the ball wide from six yards with just the keeper to beat.

Now it was the turn of United to dominate. Eastwood saw a low shot turned round by Flitney and the keeper then pushed over a Goater header.

The visitors thought they had scored on 55 minutes. Luke Gutteridge saw a shot deflected on to the bar. Goater picked the rebound up and rolled the ball across the line for Eastwood to touch in, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Sinclair then saw a driven shot blocked by the keeper at the other end after a fine run, while Southend's Jamal Campbell-Ryce, incredibly, saw Eastwood block his own shot on the line minutes later.

Barnet pushed everyone up in the latter stages but could not force an equaliser and Goater had the final chance, only for Flitney to get down again to push away his drive.

BARNET (4-4-2): Flitney; Hendon, King, Yakubu, Gross; Bailey, Sinclair, Strevens (Roache 84), Soares (Batt 69); Hatch (Grazioli 84), Norville. Subs not used: Tynan, Charles.

Attendance: 3,545.

Best Bee: Ross Flitney.