FA Cup dream is over for Bees

4:54pm Saturday 26th January 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

FULL TIME: Barnet 0 Bristol Rovers 1 . . .

Barnet saw their FA Cup dream ended in front of a bumper crowd at Underhill this afternoon.

But it could have been so different if Jason Puncheon had not squandered an early penalty.

Though the Bees dominated the first half, they had nothing to show for it and the Pirates stole it with a winner just a few minutes into the second half.

Barnet made three changes from the side that saw off Swindon Town on Tuesday. Keeper Lee Harrison came in for injured penalty hero Rob Beckwith, while Josh Wright was a straight swap for the suspended Michael Leary.

With manager Paul Fairclough choosing to play a 4-5-1 formation, Ashley Carew came in at the expense of striker Adam Birchall, who dropped to the bench.

The game got off to an explosive start. Just two minutes had gone when Danny Coles handled an Ashley Carew cross, but Puncheon saw his spot kick saved by keeper Steve Phillips. It was a fine stop, the keeper diving low to his left.

Almost instantly, Andy Williams saw Harrison push over a shot on the turn at the other end, before Stuart Campbell volleyed wide from the resulting corner.

Things settled down after the dramtic opening, though the Bees continued to play some nice football.

Midway through the half, Nicky Nicolau crossed for Cliff Akurang, but he headed down and straight at Phillips from a central position.

There were appeals for another penalty, when Akurang saw a header hit Craig Hinton, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Rickie Lambert drove just wide for Rovers from the edge of the box on 35 minutes, but most of the action was at the other end, Barnet certainly playing the better stuff.

However, there were no further chances in the first half and Rovers came off the more relieved to still be on level terms.

The second half started just as dramatically as the first. David Pipe got to the byline in the 49th minute and his cross was headed home at the near post by a diving Lambert.

It was tough on the hosts, all their good work of the first period wrecked in an instant.

However, the Bees responded in the right way and Neal Bishop saw a shot go just the wrong side of the post.

Both of these sides saw their games go to extra time and penalties in midweek and, though they were giving it everything and serving up a decent contest, chances were becoming fewer as the players started to tire.

With 20 minutes to go, Fairclough threw on strikers Anthony Thomas and Birchall in the hope that some fresh legs would give his side a lift.

But Barnet could not emulate their free-flowing football of the first half and the game looked increasingly like it was drifting away from them, Rovers dealing comfortably with the home side's forays.

In a last throw of the dice, Fairclough sent on Giuliano Grazioli, an ex-Bristol player.

Puncheon did see a shot whistle wide, but he was not the same player that ripped apart Swindon on Tuesday.

The Bees continued to throw bodies forward, but a Grazioli shot on the turn prompted just a routine save from Phillips in the 87th minute.

And sub Sammy Igoe almost added a second for Rovers, Harrison pushing out his drive as the game entered stoppage time.

BARNET (4-5-1): Harrison; Porter, Devera, Yakubu, Gillet; Carew (Thomas 68), Wright, Bishop, Nicolau (Birchall 68), Puncheon; Akurang (Grazioli 83). Subs not used: Hendon, O'Cearuill, Grazioli.

Attendance: 5,190.