FULL-TIME: Barnet 1 Arsenal 2

4:51pm Saturday 19th July 2008

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Barnet gave Premier League Arsenal a fright at Underhill this afternoon, but were unable to capitalise on a shock first-half lead.

Kenny Gillet hit his first goal for the Bees, but the Gunners came back with two goals after the break, the club's youngsters sparing the blushes of their senior colleagues who had started the game.

This was an entertaining friendly, the sell-out crowd treated to some good football, particularly in the first half.

Both teams named strong sides for this annual pre-season opener.

The starting Barnet 11 all played last season, while the Gunners included the likes of Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Denilson, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore, Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner. There was also a starting place for new signing Aaron Ramsey.

The Bees started well and Albert Adomah forced Almunia into a diving save within three minutes.

At the other end, Bendtner scuffed a shot well wide.

Adomah was in the thick of it, and the winger fired a shot on the turn over the bar, the hosts giving as good as they got in the early stages.

And it was the Bees who struck first on 15 minutes. A free-kick was rolled to Kenny Gillet and the Frenchman curled an unstoppable shot into the corner. Almunia never got close to it.

Arsenal struggled to make an impact, Barnet looking the sharper of the two teams.

On 32 minutes, Kieron St Aimie tried his luck from distance, but Almunia was right behind it.

The visitors' indifferent start was summed up by a volley from Walcott, which finished almost out of the ground. Ramsey then sliced a shot well wide.

The Gunners were at last starting to threat and Bendtner clipped the post after connecting to a Traore cross eight minutes before the break. At the other end, Adam Birchall's shot on the turn was straight at Almunia, while home keeper Rob Beckwith had to push round a Walcott drive, all in the space of a few minutes.

The half ended with Clichy driving a shot just over after the ball was rolled invitingly into his path.

Though Arsenal finished the half better than they started it, the Bees came off more than satisfied with the way things were going, having matched their neighbours in all departments.

The Gunners fielded an entirely different side in the second half, Arsene Wenger giving some of the club's youngsters the chance to shine.

The Bees introduced trialist Justin Cochrane, while Lee Harrison replaced Beckwith between the sticks.

There was nothing of any note in the opening ten minutes, after which Michael Leary made an appearance off the bench for the hosts.

Arsenal's first chance of the half fell to Mark Randall, his free-kick pushed round by Harrison. From the corner, Nacer Barazite drove over.

The Bees were content to sit back now, inviting the Arsenal youngsters to come at them.

And, on 63 minutes, Jay Simpson was threaded through down the right and he drilled the ball into the far corner as Harrison came out to narrow the angle.

Barnet responded by introducing Danny Hart, but it was the Gunners who were now in control.

Rui Fonte should have scored after Paul Rodgers had almost threaded his way through, but the former blazed over from a good position.

With 20 minutes to go, Barnet manager Paul Fairclough gave a debut to new signing Luke Medley and he had a chance to make an immediate impact, when Birchall slipped him through. However, he lacked composure, his long-range effort slicing off his boot and finishing well wide.

And it was Arsenal who struck at the other end. A fine move ended with Simpson squaring for Barazite to find the net via the post on 73 minutes.

Former PROTEC youngsters Elliott Charles and Joe Tabiri came on for the hosts, but Arsenal were now looking very comfortable, the Bees having lost their way somewhat.

With two minutes to go, Fonte had a crack from distance, but Harrison was right behind it.

Trialist Daniel Alowisi was the final Barnet substitute, but he had too little time to help his team-mates find an equaliser.

BARNET (4-4-2): Beckwith; Carew, Yakubu, Devera, Gillet; Adomah, Porter, Bishop, St Aimie; Birchall, Akurang. Subs: Harrison, Leary, Cochrane, Medley, Tabiri, Charles, Hart.

Attendance: 5,358.