4:59pm Saturday 27th September 2008
By Paul Wreyford
Barnet finally gained their first win of the season - and ended their Grimsby jinx at the same time.
The Bees had lost all six previous meetings with the Mariners since returning to the Football League, but a Neal Bishop goal just before the break proved enough.
Managerless Grimsby, in contrast, are still searching for their first victory, but could have few complaints, Paul Fairclough's troops good value for the three points.
In fact, they will have few more comfortable afternoons all season, the hosts barely troubling the visitors during the entire 90 minutes.
Barnet made a couple of changes from the side that lost to Bury last week.
John O'Flynn came in for Adam Birchall up front, while Michael Leary replaced Nicky Deverdics in midfield.
The Bees had the first shot of the game, after just 30 seconds, but Albert Adomah was well wide, the ball having broken to him on the edge of the box.
At the other end, Chris Llewellyn fired well over from 20 yards.
It was a decent start from the visitors, Barnet looking bright and breezy in the Blundell Park sunshine.
However, midway through the first half, Ashley Carew misjudged a bouncing ball and was forced to body-check Peter Till just outside the box. Being the last defender, he was lucky to escape with just a yellow card.
From the free-kick, Tom Newey drove inches over, the ball taking a slight deflection.
On 37 minutes, Grimsby failed to pick up Carew when the ball was played short to him from a corner. His floated cross was met by Adomah, but his glancing header flashed across the six-yard box and wide.
The deadlock was finally broken two minutes before the break. Carew sent Adomah down the right and he crossed for the incoming Neal Bishop to meet first time, the midfielder steering the ball into the far corner past the outstretched hand of the diving Phil Barnes.
Bishop then drove just wide from distance in first-half stoppage time, the ball taking a slight deflection on its way behind.
The Bees deserved their half-time lead, the Mariners having not really tested Lee Harrison in the visitors' goal.
Grimsby started the second half stronger, but the Barnet defence looked up for the fight, with the visitors throwing their bodies in front of the ball whenever the hosts had a sight of goal.
The central defensive partnership of Ismail Yakubu and Joe Devera looked more solid than of late, the Mariners still struggling to get behind them.
The Blundell Park fans were becoming more and more frustrated, their side guilty of some sloppy passing, which only added to their woes.
The first real chance of the second half did not come until 20 minutes from time, Cliff Akurang sending a header over from close range after Nicky Nicolau's corner had been flicked on.
Barnet were working hard and, though most of the play was in their half, they still looked like they might add to their tally on the break.
Still the Mariners laboured and the fans gave an ironic cheer when Malvin Kamara finally forced Harrison into a save on 84 minutes, though his shot was straight at the keeper and no danger.
BARNET (4-4-2): Harrison; Carew, Yakubu, Devera, Gillet; Adomah, Bishop, Leary, Nicolau; O'Flynn (Birchall 82), Akurang. Subs not used: Kadoch, Porter, Deverdics, Medley.
Attendance: 3,713.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.times-series.co.uk