Tyson hits knockout blow for Wycombe

6:44pm Saturday 17th September 2005

Wycombe Wanderers 1 Barnet 0 . . .

A spirited second-half Barnet performance was not enough to save the Bees from a second successive defeat.

They have now taken just one point from their last five games.

A 21st-minute Nathan Tyson strike earned unbeaten Wycombe all three points at the Causeway Stadium.

Barnet manager Paul Fairclough was disappointed with his team's first-half showing, but encouraged by their attitude after the break.

He said: "I said to my players at half-time that I wanted something out of the game. We might not have left with any points, but we left with some pride.

"I've taken a lot heart from the second-half performance."

Barnet were lucky to still be in the game at the break, but they finished the stronger and might have nicked a point in the closing stages.

Fairclough added: "Our performance in the first half was below par but we hung in there. My players are big characters. The weak-natured would have folded.

"The players are disappointed. We gave everything in the second half and were the stronger side in the latter stages, but lost it in the first half.

"The lads are very disappointed not to have got something from the game."

It was Barnet who had the first chance after a quiet start. Giuliano Grazioli shrugged off his marker on 20 minutes to latch on to an Ian Hendon ball. The striker lifted it over the advancing keeper but it was just wide of the post.

Within a minute, Sergio Torres had slipped in Tyson and he coolly slotted the ball past Ross Flitney from just inside the box for what turned out to be the winner.

Wycombe went on to dominate the rest of the half but could not capitalise on a whole host of corners.

Torres should have given the Chairboys a two-goal lead going into the break after Tommy Mooney headed the ball into his path on 34 minutes. The goal was at his mercy but Flitney blocked his close-range effort, somehow deflecting the ball on to the foot of the post.

Wycombe wasted another gift five minutes after the interval when a Damian Batt back pass fell short. Mooney intercepted and centred, but Tyson was crowded out after trying to walk the ball home.

Mike Williamson then saw a header tipped over by Flitney as the hosts continued to have the better of things.

Tyson had another chance minutes later after being freed by Torres, but Flitney again came racing out to deny him with another fine block.

But the final half-hour belonged to Barnet. The Bees somehow lifted themselves and, roared on by their travelling fans, had the Wycombe supporters anxiously looking to the clock as the game wore on.

Nicky Bailey headed well over after meeting a Hendon cross on the bounce on the hour and Batt saw the keeper get down well to hold a low drive.

The closest the Bees came to an equaliser was in the 77th minute. Grazioli did well to meet and control a Batt ball in at the near post. The striker skilfully lifted the ball over the keeper but saw it headed off the line. Richard Graham then drilled just over as the Chairboys struggled to clear their lines.

The final chance fell to Dean Sinclair after more good work by Grazioli, but his close-range shot was parried by the keeper.

Wycombe forced ten corners in the game to Barnet's none, but the hosts ended the match content to head for the corner flags.

But the turnaround had come to late for the Bees and Wycombe held on to claim the points.

BARNET (4-5-1): Flitney; Hendon, King, Charles, Batt; Bailey, Sinclair, Lee, Bowditch (Roache 86), Graham; Grazioli. Subs not used: Tynan, Soares, Strevens, Norville.

Attendance: 4,994.