FULL-TIME: Rotherham United 3 Barnet 4 (From Times Series)

FULL-TIME: Rotherham United 3 Barnet 4

5:05pm Saturday 18th October 2008 in Sport By Paul Wreyford

Ten-man Barnet survived a late Rotherham flurry to edge a thrilling contest at the Don Valley Stadium this afternoon.

The Bees became the first side to beat the Millers at their new stadium, but did it the hard way.

Paul Fairclough's troops went a goal down, conceded two penalties and played most of the game with ten men!

But goals from Luke Medley, Albert Adomah and Cliff Akurang (2) overturned an early Rotherham lead.

Though the Millers pulled two back, the visitors held on to record a marvellous win, their third in four games.

Not even the dismissal of Max Porter, which led to the home side gainaing a penalty (which Lee Harrison brilliantly saved) could rock the Bees, and they went on to score three of their goals when playing with one man short.

Fairclough made a number of changes, the big surprise being that Luke Medley and Cliff Akurang started up front. That meant John O'Flynn and Adam Birchall had to settle for a place on the bench.

Ashley Carew and Nicky Nicolau were also dropped from the starting 11, with Max Porter and Nicky Deverdics starting in their place.

Akurang had a great chance for the visitors on five minutes. Deverdics swung over a corner and the striker rose to meet it, but his header from six yards was just over.

In response, Drewe Broughton forced Lee Harrison to push away a long-distance volley, the ball bouncing awkwardly in front of the keeper.

But, from the corner, the Barnet defence failed to clear and Nick Fenton looped a header over Harrison at the back post for the opener. It was a soft goal to concede and just the start the Bees did not want.

The Millers almost added a second on 15 minutes, Reuben Reid allowed time at the back post, but the angle was tight and Harrison blocked his shot.

Barnet levelled on 18 minutes. A nice build up ended with Albert Adomah putting over an inviting cross for Medley to flick home from six yards with his head.

It was a similar position to Akurang's earlier effort, but the teenager made no mistake, his well-placed header finding the corner past the diving Andy Warrington.

The Bees took confidence from their equaliser, which was no more than they deserved after a positive start.

But things got tough for the visitors on the half-hour. Reid was put in the clear and rounded Harrison. With the goal gaping, the chasing Porter had no choice but to bring him down from behind, resulting in a red card and a penalty. There was no doubt about it.

However, Mark Hudson's spot kick was brilliantly saved by Harrison, the keeper diving low to his right to stick out a hand to block the ball.

With Porter off, Michael Leary was forced to move from midfield into the centre of defence, with Joe Devera slotting in at right-back.

And, incredibly, ten-man Barnet found themselves in front with ten minutes of the first half to go, Adomah lashing home an unstoppable half-volley from the tightest of angles. It was a superb strike, the ball finding the far corner with keeper Warrington diving at full stretch but still unable to reach it.

Rotherham were stunned and struggled to regain their feet, though Fenton did get in another header from a corner, but this one was well wide.

It ended an eventful first half, the Millers booed off the pitch by some of their supporters.

The hosts made a double substitution at the interval in a bid to get back into it, and attacked from the off.

However, it was the Bees who struck a third on 55 minutes, Akurang waltzing past a couple of defenders before cleverly flicking the ball past the advancing Warrington. It was a brilliant goal from a player whose place in the side had been questioned by fans in recent weeks, Akurang showing no signs of any lack of confidence.

Harrison had to stick out a hand to block a Mark Burchill shot at the other end, as Rotherham looked for an immediate response. Fenton then saw another header from a corner drop narrowly wide.

But it was Barnet who struck again on 62 minutes, Akurang nipping in between defender and keeper to latch on to a Harrison clearance. Once again, the striker kept his cool, rounding Warrington and sliding the ball into an empty net.

Few could quite believe what was happening, the home faithful stunned into silence.

However, the Millers gave themselves a lifeline with 20 minutes to go, Ian Sharps rising unmarked to head home a free-kick, the defender making the most of some poor marking.

And Reid almost pulled another one back, his shot deflected just wide a minute later.

At the other end, Adomah tried an audacious lob with power from 25 yards, but it just cleared the bar.

With 12 minutes to go, Reid had his legs taken from behind him and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time in the game, though it looked a harsh decision.

This time Burchall beat Harrison from the spot to reduce the deficit to just one.

Rotherham now piled forward and the Bees were forced into some desperate defending.

With three minutes to go, Burchall was denied by a point-blank save from Harrison, and, from the corner, Fenton hit the bar with a header.

BARNET (4-3-3): Harrison; Porter, Yakubu, Devera, Gillet; Bishop, Leary, Deverdics (Tabiri 90); Adomah, Akurang (Birchall 85), Medley (Nicolau 73). Subs not used: Kadoch, O'Flynn.

Attendance: 3,801.