5:04pm Saturday 30th August 2008
By Paul Wreyford
Barnet are still without a point after crashing to an embarrassing defeat at the Deva Stadium this afternoon.
The Bees put in another shocking performance, but this time to a side who went into the game as low in confidence as their visitors.
It did not show, however, as City ran riot, carving open the Barnet defence at will. In truth, it could have been more, the hosts also missing a string of chances and keeper Lee Harrison pulling off some fine stops.
The Bees were shambolic at the back and offered little going forward. It was a day they will want to forget, the only highlight being Cliff Akurang's first goal of the season, though that came in stoppage time when the game was long over.
Barnet made a number of changes from the side that lost to Brentford last week, with new signing Jeremy De Magalhaes and loan capture Paul Mitchell coming in for their debuts.
However, fellow newcomer Ran Kadoch had to settle for a seat on the bench, with Harrison keeping his place between the sticks.
With Ismail Yakubu missing, Michael Leary captained the side, while there was a surprise start for Danny Hart.
Up front, Luke Medley replaced Cliff Akurang.
Chester had the first effort, Harrison saving a shot from Paul Taylor with his legs. And the hosts almost struck on five minutes, when Kevin Ellison broke down the right. Harrison committed himself, racing out of his area, but the striker shot over after taking the ball past the Barnet keeper. Though there were visiting defenders covering, Ellison should have done better.
At the other end, Medley saw a shot on the turn pushed away by the fingertips of John Danby, in what was a lively start to the game.
City were doing most of the pressing and Harrison had to push out a Taylor shot on 15 minutes, before blocking an Ellison snapshot.
For the Bees, Aswad Thomas latched on to a poor piece of defending just outside the box, but his shot was well over.
Ellison and Taylor were causing plenty of problems, with Harrison the busier keeper by far.
Mitchell was lucky not to go in the book for a very late tackle on Damien Mozika, Barnet struggling to get a foothold in the match.
Ellison almost connected to a lovely Taylor cross at the far post, as the hosts continued to press.
On the half-hour, De Magalhaes showed he has a decent shot on him, his effort from a free-kick just clearing the bar.
But it was Chester who deservedly broke the deadlock on 32 minutes, Ellison collecting the ball 25 yards out and placing a fine effort beyond the outstretched hand of the diving Harrison. It was accuracy, rather than power, that beat the Barnet keeper.
Ellison had another chance on the edge of the area not long after, but dragged his shot well wide on this occasion.
The Bees tried to rouse themselves, with Adam Birchall failing to get a touch on a Thomas near-post cross, and De Magalhaes unable to keep a header down, the hosts hardly troubled by either effort.
And Birchall saw another near-post effort flash across the face of the goal after a Hart cross.
But Barnet, not for the first time this season, had generally been outplayed and outfought in what was another disappointing 45 minutes for Paul Fairclough's troops, the visitors perhaps fortunate to be only one down at the break.
City had the first chance of the second half, Mark Hughes drilling the ball wide after it was laid into his path 20 yards from goal.
Medley should have done better with a quick Neal Bishop free-kick at the other end. He was freed, but the striker did not even get a shot in, his control letting him down.
At least the Bees were now showing signs that they could get back in the game, the play switching from end to end.
But, on 57 minutes, Leary was caught in possession and Ellison crossed for Ryan Lowe, who steadied himself before beating a wrong-footed Harrison from 12 yards.
City remained the hungrier, with far too many Barnet players still failing to get out of first gear.
And it was three on 62 minutes, Lowe's free-kick met by the incoming Paul Linwood, the defender beating Harrison from close range and without a Barnet defender anywhere near him. It was another awful piece of defending from the visitors.
Harrison had to keep out a Lowe shot with his leg moments later, City now rampant.
Number four came three minutes later, Kevin Roberts stabbing the ball home from close range, after his initial header from a corner was blocked. It was more poor defending.
The Bees were now only playing for pride and Joe Devera almost restored some with a header from an Albert Adomah free-kick, the ball just clearing the bar.
Lowe missed another great chance at the other end, failing to connect to a left-wing cross, the Barnet defence again left wide open.
Taylor then found space to fire just past Harrison's post, City keen to inflict even more humiliation on their struggling visitors.
Number five came 11 minutes from time, Lowe beating the offside trap and slotting the ball under Harrison.
Bishop saw a volley fizz across the box with three minutes to go, before, in stoppage time, Cliff Akurang netted a consolation, a Joe Tabiri challenge breaking kindly for him, the striker's shot beating Danby in off the post.
But it was, of course, too little, too late, and Harrison again had to deny Ellison at the death, the keeper pushing out his near-post effort.
BARNET (4-4-2): Harrison; Devera, De Magalhaes, Leary, Thomas; Adomah, Mitchell (Porter 72), Bishop, Hart (Akurang 65); Birchall, Medley (Tabiri 72). Subs not used: Kadoch, Charles.
Attendance: 1,295.
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