BARNET FC 1-1 WEALDSTONE
Barnet recorded a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s derby against Wealdstone, featuring a deciding goal from Callum Stead and a late equaliser from the away side.
Dean Brennan’s side included four changes from the away loss to Gateshead, with new signing Adam Thompson coming in to make his debut.
The Bees got off to a strong start, with Reece Hall-Johnson testing the opposition keeper early with a close-range header.
After a positive cross from Jordan Maguire-Drew from the right, Hall-Johnson won a free-kick in a promising area. Maguire-Drew put an in-swinging cross in, cleared by Wealdstone captain, Jack Cook, who scored twice in the last fixture.
The 11th minute saw Barnet come the closest so far, with a Ben Coker cross finding Maguire-Drew whose header narrowly went over the crossbar.
The intense Barnet press had an effective start, winning the ball back quickly. Brennan’s side eventually opened the scoring in the 14th minute, after Coker put a ball across the face of the goal that found Callum Stead, who tapped it home.
16 minutes later and Barnet maintained the pressure, with the three number 10’s in Maguire-Drew, Harry Pritchard and Zak Brunt all finding space in the final third.
Maguire-Drew especially shone on as he drifted onto the right. A ball over the top was brought down by the number 15 in the penalty area, taking it away from the onrushing goalkeeper. With the keeper off his line, Maguire-Drew’s shot was cleared off the line by Cook.
Stead nearly doubled the scoring with a lob in the 37th minute, again narrowly clearing the crossbar.
As half-time approached, Maguire-Drew’s free-kick was deflected out for a corner, that led to a Wealdstone transition comfortably stopped by Josh Keeley, who had a relatively quiet first 45.
HT: Barnet 1-0 Wealdstone
Wealdstone got off to a better start after the break, seeing more of the ball but not threatening Barnet too heavily.
The 63rd minute raised a big cheer from the Bees fans, with Luke Freeman making his first appearance for the club, coming on for Jordan Maguire-Drew.
The break in play didn’t break didn’t stop The Stones’ momentum as they gave Barnet problems as they transitioned quickly.
The Bees’ second change of the game came in the 77th minute, with Reece Hall-Johnson being replaced by Jordan Cropper, who put one of his classic long-throws into the box that was headed wide by Adebola Oluwo.
Minutes later, Cropper had his second throw, which rebounded out to Zak Brunt who caught a half-volley well but shot wide.
Barnet then had another chance to make it 2-0 in the 80th minute, after Brunt was fouled in the penalty area. Harry Pritchard stepped up, but had his shot saved by the keeper.
The fourth official signified another 9 minutes of added, time giving the away side some hope that they could get a point.
After Keeley swept up a Wealdstone long-ball, he launched a counter of his own, putting Stead through on goal after a slaloming run, with his shot being saved by the keeper.
A desperate Wealdstone then threw eight players in the box for a corner, which was confidently claimed by Keeley to stop.
As the game became more end-to-end, Luke Freeman won a corner for The Bees, which was cleared away, starting another Wealdstone transition.
The last few minutes of added time became even more hectic, with a shot from Max Kretzschmar going just wide of the post.
In the final minute of the nine added on, Wealdstone scored an equaliser, with a Corrie Andrews finish finding its way under Keeley.
A tense end to the game saw the away side find a late equaliser, and Barnet came away with one point in a 1-1 draw.
FT: Barnet 1-1 Wealdstone
Starting XI: Keeley, Hall-Johnson (Cropper 77′), Coker, Okimo, Stead, Pritchard, Maguire-Drew (Freeman 64′), Hartigan, Oluwo, Thompson, Brunt
Unused Subs: Gillmore, Armstrong, Stevens
Goal: Stead 14′
Yellow: Freeman
Attendance: 2,861 (921 away)
