4:56pm Saturday 16th February 2008
By Paul Wreyford
FULL TIME: Peterborough United 1 Barnet 0 . . .
Ex-Bee Liam Hatch came off the bench to see off his old club at London Road this afternoon.
It was perhaps typical the former Underhill favourite would be the man to finally end the visitors' stubborn resistance.
The striker struck with a deflected effort 20 minutes from time.
Barnet welcomed midfielder Jason Puncheon back into the side, with manager Paul Fairclough choosing to play a 4-5-1 formation. It meant striker Adam Birchall had to settle for a place on the bench.
Peterborough had the first chance after nine minutes, but Chris Whelpdale failed to keep the ball down after Barnet only half-cleared a corner.
The Bees were awarded a free-kick in a good position, but Puncheon hit it straight into the wall.
It was a quiet start, with neither side really taking control. Compared to Tuesday's passionate derby against Brentford, the pace of the game in the early stages was pedestrian.
As the hosts, it was up to Peterborough to show the initiative and Aaron Mclean almost found a way through on 27 minutes, Joe Devera throwing himself in front of the ball in what proved to be a vital block.
Within a minute, Craig Mackail-Smith was put in the clear. He slipped the ball under the advancing Rob Beckwith, but his shot never had enough power and Max Porter got back to clear before the ball crossed the line.
The Posh were now at last showing signs of life, but Cliff Akurang saw an effort deflected over at the other end after bringing the ball down neatly on the edge of the box.
On 38 minutes, Peterborough's Charlie Lee flashed a shot just wide from the edge of the area, while Mclean fired wide of the other post just a minute later.
It was not the greatest first half, to say the least, but Barnet had looked comfortable and they left the pitch more than satisfied.
The opening chance of the second period fell to the Posh, Mackail-Smith playing a one-two before finding the side netting under challenge.
Lee then fired well over from the edge of the box, as Peterborough attempted to raise their game.
On 56 minutes, the ball broke kindly for Albert Adomah, but keeper Joe Lewis got down well to save the Barnet winger's 20-yard effort.
However, it was the hosts who were doing most of the pressing, and Beckwith did well to turn round a downward Dean Keates header that bounced just in front of him.
With 25 minutes to go, Peterborough threw on ex-Bee Hatch, but it was Barnet who should have taken the lead. Kieron St Aimie was put through, but he saw Lewis block his shot, when he perhaps should have buried it.
It was a rare moment of danger for the Posh and they themselves had an even better effort a few minutes later, Ismail Yakubu heading a Mclean far-post header over his own bar. It was a brilliant piece of defending and saved what looked like a certain goal.
The game was at last starting to open up a little and the hosts finally struck through Hatch on 72 minutes.
The striker surged towards the visiting goal and his shot deflected off Yakubu and looped over the stranded Beckwith.
The goal stunned Barnet and Fairclough reacted by throwing on subs Ashley Carew and Birchall.
With ten minutes to go, Neal Bishop was lucky to only receive a yellow card for a challenge on Hatch that had the home fans seething.
From the free-kick, Hatch rose to beat Beckwith to the ball, but Yakubu somehow got back to clear his header off the line. It was another superb clearance from the Barnet captain.
Beckwith was then lucky to see Mclean hit a shot straight into his arms after the keeper had dropped another high cross into the area.
The Bees struggled to get out of their own half and never really looked like finding an equaliser in the closing stages.
Birchall put over an inviting cross in stoppage time, but no one was able to get on the end of it.
BARNET (4-5-1): Beckwith; Porter, Devera, Yakubu, Gillet; Adomah, Wright, Puncheon, Bishop, St Aimie (Carew 78); Akurang (Birchall 78). Subs not used: Harrison, Burton, Leary.
Attendance: 5,520.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.times-series.co.uk