6:13pm Saturday 4th December 2004
By Paul Wreyford
Barnet 3 Leigh RMI 2 . . .
Sub Lee Roache hit a last-gasp winner to send Barnet ten points clear at the top.
But bottom club Leigh made the Bees fight all the way with a gritty performance.
Manager Paul Fairclough, who celebrated Roache's strike by running on to the pitch with his arms in the air, admitted he was a relieved man.
"It was breathtaking stuff but heartache for Leigh," he said. "I thought Leigh were magnificent today."
But he was also full of praise for his own battling troops, who had to come from behind to salvage the points.
"This side have so many great qualities. The result at Aldershot was mega last week, but this was even bigger because of the events that happened in the game."
Barnet, who have now gained the record for the best start (after 19 games) in Conference history, got off to a storming opening when Giuliano Grazioli headed a Simon Clist cross over keeper Ian Martin after just two minutes.
The rest looked to be a formality against a side that had lost their last nine league games.
But Leigh responded brilliantly and were helped by the referee who awarded them a penalty on 15 minutes, Dwane Lee harshly judged to have used a hand when charging down a Gareth Holmes drive. Karl Rose stepped up to send Scott Tynan the wrong way from the spot.
Within six minutes, the Railwaymen were in front, Gareth Stoker wrong-footing Ismail Yakubu and bursting through to beat Tynan.
Rose then had a free header, but saw it go inches wide.
The Bees raised their game after the interval and a fine move ended with Liam Hatch rolling the ball to Nicky Bailey who drove low through a crowded box for the 58th-minute equaliser.
A minute later Barry Miller was red-carded for a second bookable offence and Leigh were down to ten men.
Barnet were now dominating, but Hatch saw a header clip the bar and Grazioli had another header superbly tipped over by Martin.
But the winner finally came deep into stoppage time. A ball into the box was helped on by Ben Strevens, and Roache turned to shoot under Martin to break Leigh hearts.
BARNET (4-4-2): Tynan; Batt, Yakubu, King, Clist; Strevens, Lee, Bailey (Lopez 89), Graham; Grazioli, Hatch (Roache 84). Subs not used: Millard, Champion, McBean.
Attendance: 1,961.
Best Bee: Richard Graham.
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