10:39pm Tuesday 22nd January 2008
By Paul Wreyford
FULL TIME: Barnet 1 Swindon Town 1 (AET) . . .
(Barnet win 2-0 on penalties) . . .
Barnet reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for the second year running after winning a dramatic penalty shootout at Underhill tonight.
Swindon missed all four of their spot kicks, keeper Rob Beckwith pulling off a superb save to send the Bees through.
He dived to his right to keep out Miguel Comminges' penalty, sparking wild scenes of celebration.
Subs Anthony Thomas and Joe O'Cearuill had earlier kept their nerve from 12 yards.
The match had ended 1-1 after extra time, Swindon's Billy Paynter scoring at both ends.
Barnet will now play Bristol Rovers at Underhill in the fourth round this Saturday, the Pirates having seen off Fulham on penalties.
Barnet made two changes from the side that saw off MK Dons ten days ago, with Michael Leary and Adam Birchall coming in for the suspended Ashley Carew and Josh Wright, the latter unable to play due to not being at the club when the original tie was played.
The Bees started brightly and Jason Puncheon saw keeper Peter Brezovan push out a stinging volley, the winger hitting the ball first time from a Nicky Nicolau centre.
Puncheon again tried his luck from distance just a few minutes later, but his drive was well over this time.
Birchall then latched on to a long Joe Devera ball, but Brezovan was out quickly to claim it.
At the other end, Sofiane Zaaboub drilled in a low shot, but Michael Leary was back to clear.
It was a cracking start, with both sides looking to get forward at every opportunity.
On 16 minutes, Cliff Akurang almost notched a debut goal, but his header from a Nicolau free-kick was straight at the grateful Brezovan.
Within a couple of minutes, Blair Sturrock broke down the left for Swindon but drove his shot wide when a cross may have been the better option.
The game was being played at a fast pace, with neither side being allowed too much time on the ball.
Akurang was put through by Puncheon midway through the half, but the striker lost his footing as he rounded the keeper and the chance was gone.
It was end to end stuff. Lee Peacock deflected a Zaaboub shot the wrong side of the post after Rob Beckwith had punched out a corner, while Puncheon tried a cheeky lob from 30 yards, the ball just clearing the back-peddling Brezovan's bar.
Barnet's best move almost produced a goal ten minutes before the break. Puncheon put Max Porter free down the right and his cross should have been buried, but Akurang, with the goal at his mercy, directed his header over.
And he was made to pay with just four minutes of the half to go. Billy Paynter was given too much time and space on the edge of the box and he drilled the ball under Beckwith for the opener.
It was cruel on Barnet and a harsh lesson in the importance of taking your chances.
Akurang had another golden chance a minute into the second half, but he could not scramble the ball over the line from a Puncheon centre, Jerel Ifil somehow doing enough to keep the ball out.
The Bees continued to push and got their deserved equaliser when Paynter, guarding the near post, turned a Puncheon cross into his own net on 52 minutes. It had been coming.
Paynter could have made amends on 63 minutes, but blazed over after making room for himself on the edge of the box.
But it was Barnet who looked the likelier to grab a second, with Nicolau almost catching out Brezovan with a first-time long-range effort.
Puncheon was at the heart of most things, the winger causing the visiting defence all sorts of problems.
However, the Bees were reduced to ten men on 73 minutes, Leary seeing red for what was deemed a two-footed tackle on Zaaboub, a challenge that saw the latter carried off.
And Swindon, with an extra man, almost regained the lead ten minutes from time, sub Barry Corr seeing a shot flash inches wide.
The Robins were now on top, clearly lifted by Leary's dismissal.
Paynter brilliantly turned Ismail Yakubu, only for Beckwith to push over his shot, while sub Christian Roberts sliced wide at the far post.
Beckwith then blocked a Jon Paul McGovern effort, the final chance of normal time.
Corr had the first chance of extra time, but put a free header over, while Puncheon curled a free kick just wide for Barnet.
Though the Bees were playing with just ten men, you would not have known it, the hosts, cheered on by their faithful fans, having raised their game in the extra 30 minutes.
Both sides were giving everything, but now struggling to create chances, fearful of making one crucial mistake.
Even so, Barnet sub Anthony Thomas almost won it with a cross-cum-shot in the dying minutes, the ball just clearing the bar.
BARNET (4-4-2): Beckwith; Porter, Devera, Yakubu, Gillet; Puncheon, Leary, Bishop, Nicolau (O'Cearuill 115); Birchall (Thomas 115), Akurang (Grazioli 101). Subs not used: Harrison, Hendon.
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