Graz hits late equaliser (From Times Series)

Graz hits late equaliser

10:17am Wednesday 11th January 2006

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Barnet 1 Cheltenham Town 1 . . .

They say things happen when you least expect them to.

It was like that at Underhill on Tuesday night.

The moment when a Barnet striker finally hit the net came at a time when most fans had probably stopped believing.

Just nine minutes remained when half-fit sub Giuliano Grazioli arrived at the far post to head home a lovely Ben Strevens cross.

At that stage, it looked like the Bees had run out of ideas. They created a whole host of chances before the interval and you thought it would only be a matter of time, but, after the break, the longer the game wore on, there was a feeling it was going to be another one of those nights.

Grazioli's equaliser was the first from a regular Barnet striker since mid-November.

There was, however, no doubting the Bees deserved it, particularly for their first-half efforts.

With so many players sidelined, manager Paul Fairclough was quick to offer praise to those that came in or were forced to play when not fully fit themselves.

He said: "The efforts of these players are just magnificent. They were staring defeat in the face again, but they refused to give in."

He added: "It was great to see Giuliano on the scoresheet. You could see the relief on the boy himself."

Fairclough also had a word of encouragement for fellow striker Liam Hatch, who is still to score this season.

"Liam must think he has done something in his previous life. He works so hard and was very unfortunate not to score. He will not go the whole season without scoring and he has to believe that."

And Fairclough believed the goals would now start flowing for Grazioli too.

But he admitted he was concerned with the way Barnet were regularly giving their opponents a head start. Once again, they conceded an early goal. Just eight minutes had gone when John Melligan arrived unmarked to expertly meet a David Bird cross on the volley and guide it goalwards. Keeper Ross Flitney got a touch to the ball, but could only help it into the roof of the net.

It might have been two a couple of minutes later, but Brian Wilson's free-kick finished in the side netting.

Barnet responded well to the set-back and created numerous openings at the other end. A sliding Hatch connected to a Lee Roache centre, but saw his close-range effort bounce off the outside of the post.

Man-of-the-match Strevens then saw a powerful header from a Louie Soares free-kick pushed away by keeper Scott Brown.

It was all the home side now and Roache somehow headed over an inviting Adam Gross cross from just inside the six-yard box.

Strevens then latched on to a weak back pass, but stabbed the ball across the goal and wide from an acute angle.

Brown was looking shaky, but when he dropped a Soares corner, no Bee could turn the ball home in the ensuing scramble.

The final Barnet chance of the half fell to Hatch. The striker collected a Damian Batt pass down the right and drilled the ball at the keeper after cutting inside.

The Bees could not keep up the momentum in the second half and, after Strevens had headed an Ian Hendon free-kick just wide in the early stages, there were no more chances until Grazioli popped up when least expected.

Cheltenham rallied in the closing stages and Flitney had to be on his toes to deny Steve Guinnan and Melligan, but no one could begrudge Barnet a point from another game they deserved to win.

BARNET: (4-4-2): Flitney; Batt, Hendon, Charles, Gross; Strevens, Sinclair, Bowditch, Soares (Vernazza 65); Hatch, Roache (Grazioli 65).

Attendance: 1,366.

Best Bee: Ben Strevens.

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