Sanchez still targeting Wembley appearance (From Times Series)

Barnet boss Lawrie Sanchez still targeting Wembley appearance

1:12pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Sport By Adam Newson

Lawrie Sanchez believes his Barnet side can still make it to Wembley this season despite missing out on the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final after defeat against Swindon Town.

The Bees fell to a 1-0 defeat against by the Robins on Tuesday night, a result that meant Barnet were beaten 2-1 on aggregate in the southern area final.

While Sanchez admits it is disappointing to fall at the final hurdle he still holds hope of Barnet reaching Wembley this season via the League Two playoffs.

"The lads gave everything they have got and that is all you ask as a manager. If the quality isn’t quite as good as Swindon’s then there are reasons for that - such as the difference in wage bills.

"But I have said to the players that we are not going to Wembley in this competition but there is still one competition where you can, so let’s make it in that one."

Barnet were not at their best against Swindon in the second leg. The Bees struggled to create clear chances and top scorer Izale McLeod looked isolated up front.

The goal that decided the tie came in the 17th minute. A cross into the Barnet box was met by Alan Connell who directed his header past Bees' goalkeeper Dean Brill.

Barnet were temporarily down to ten men when Connell headed home. Bees' skipper Mark Hughes was off the field receiving treatment for a head injury and Sanchez admits it could have been different had the midfielder been on the pitch.

"It has been an incredible run to be fair and we really have given it everything we had. We didn’t really test their keeper enough and they scored their goal when we were down to ten men which is disappointing.

"If Hughesy had been on the field it could have been different, but who knows."

He continued: "In the second half we got into the game more and passed the ball better, caused them more problems and for a part of the second half they looked worried.

"They started making changes before we did but once Charlie Taylor got sent off that was pretty much the game over really.

"But last time we came here the result was 4-0 and we were lucky to get that to be honest. Over the course of the last two games there has only been one goal in it and for large parts of that it has been even."

Taylor was dismissed five minutes before full time for a foul on Oliver Risser. Sanchez believes some referees would have given a yellow card for the ‘clumsy challenge’ but said he didn’t have any complaints about the decision.

He added: "It is disappointing for Charlie because he came on and I thought he did well for the time he played. But now he has another three match ban and his season has been stop start really."

Barnet fans will be disappointed that their side didn’t produce the recent form that had seen the Bees remain five games unbeaten in all competitions.

However, encouragement will be taken from the two fixtures against the Robins as Barnet certainly showed they can compete against a team that Sanchez said will more than likely win League Two this season.

"Swindon are a massive club. I played for them when they were in the Premier League so how they have been allowed to end up in League Two I don’t know.

"But they are a Championship club who are playing below themselves at the moment. They have put together a good team, have a massive wage bill and have given Paolo money to spend," explained the Bees' boss.

"But from the Barnet team that came here earlier in the season and lost by four goals to the team we are now shows the gap has been closed tremendously.

"We gave everything we had but what we had was not quite enough."