Birchall cracker earns Bees a replay

4:59pm Saturday 5th January 2008

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Swindon Town 1 Barnet 1 . . .

Sub Adam Birchall hit a stunning equaliser five minutes from time to earn battling Barnet a replay.

The striker unleashed a cracker from 25 yards to ensure the Bees a place in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Though League One Swindon had the better of the game, Barnet finished strongly and never let their heads drop after the hosts had nudged in front on the hour.

Barnet went into the game unchanged from the side that drew 0-0 at Wycombe on Tuesday.

Swindon started the better and the opening ten minutes were spent in the visitors' half, though keeper Rob Beckwith was not really tested.

And it was the Bees who carved out the first real opening, Nicky Nicolau forcing keeper Peter Brezovan to push behind a low drive from outside the box that skidded on the wet surface.

At the other end, a Blair Sturrock volley on the turn went well wide.

Barnet were giving as good as they got. On 22 minutes, Jason Puncheon made space for himself, before driving just wide from 25 yards. It was another decent effort.

Jon-Paul McGovern was picked out at the other end, but Kenny Gillet and Nicolau combined to block his shot.

Ismail Yakubu then had to clear a far-post looping Craig Easton header off the line, before Beckwith turned a Sofiene Zaaboub shot behind, the winger capitalising on a Max Porter slip. It was the first real cause for concern in the Barnet box.

Yakubu then put in a fine last-ditch tackle to deny Sturrock a run on goal, the Robins at last beginning to give their fans something to get excited about.

Home striker Billy Paynter should have done better with a free header, but he directed it the wrong side of the post five minutes before the interval.

The second half started in dramatic fashion. Less than a minute had gone when Nicolau had to twice clear the ball off the line during a goalmouth scramble. It was a lucky escape.

Puncheon then forced Brezovan to push out a shot from a tight angle at the other end.

An even better chance came on 57 minutes. Cliff Akurang slipped the ball to Puncheon who did superbly in skipping past a couple of defenders, but his delicate chip over the keeper finished inches wide.

And it was to prove a costly miss just three minutes later. Beckwith deflected a shot into the air and, when Yakubu failed to head the ball over his own bar, Sturrock headed home from almost on the line. It was a scrappy goal, coming at a time when the Bees were enjoying their best spell.

Manager Paul Fairclough threw on strikers Anthony Thomas and Birchall for the final 20 minutes, as Barnet tried to claw back the deficit.

Birchall actually found the net twice, but the offside flag was up long before on both occasions.

But, with five minutes to go, Birchall controlled a long ball forward, turned and hit a curling shot that soared into the top corner from just outside the box. It was third time lucky for the sub.

Swindon almost hit back with three minutes left, sub Kaid Mohamed bursting through the visiting defence, but driving over the bar.

BARNET (4-5-1): Beckwith; Porter, Devera, Yakubu, Gillet; Carew (Thomas 68), Leary,Bishop, Nicolau, Puncheon; Akurang (Birchall 68). Subs not used: Harrison, O'Cearuill, Grazioli.

Attendance: 5,944