Like Max Bygraves before, I am also angered by this shambles. Barnet Football Club offers me nothing in terms of entertainment or value for money. Just because I, just like many others got hooked some years ago, it doesn't mean that loyalty can continue to be shown when things get this bad. It makes me worry for the future too, who in their right mind would come along to Barnet now and enjoy it?
I remember well how much I didn't enjoy the first few years in the league under Paul Fairclough, when results began to turn, but compared to this it was a paradise, and speaks volumes for how good a job Paul actually did for us. This is just not good enough, nor is it acceptable.
Such an inept defensive display will provide this sort of reaction. Never watching Barnet have I heard a team so roundly booed off the field at half time. A large percentage of the paltry away following were quite rightly angered by the shocking display on show. Believe it or not we actually started quite brightly. The first ten minutes we showed some good attacking play, with Steve Kabba at the forefront of everything. His pace, experience and workrate up top will be of paramount importance to us, you feel.
However, once Wycombe got themselves back into the game we look dreadfully shaky at the back. The centre back pairing of Uddin and Kamdjo looked as if they'd just met awkwardly somewhere and didn't know what they were supposed to be doing together. A complete lack of organisation was exposed relentlessly by Wycombe's front line and we found ourselves 3-0 down by half time, with all three goals being entirely avoidable. Poor Jake Cole must be wondering what on earth he's done wrong.
A big issue has been defending balls into the box. A routine cross had us beaten for the first, with big defender Sandell rising highest for what was almost an inevitable opener. It had been coming, with Cole already forced into a save or two. A tactical wizard next to me pointed out the clear danger in the box, lo and behold Wycombe found it, alas our defence did not. This wizard was correct, scant consolation when you're 1-0 down.
The second goal was soon on its way, and the away crowd was deflated. Mark Marshall, who had a mixed bag of an evening, gave the ball away in a dangerous position and the ball fell to Lewis Montrose around 30 yards from goal. With no urgency to close him down, he was allowed an opportunity to emulate a long-ranger which earned them a point this Saturday past against Shrewsbury. With shock and horror on our faces, we watch the ball fly into the back of the net. Here we go again, the game has gone, just over 20 minutes in. This is great, I'm really glad I came.
And as if we hadn't learnt our lesson, the third goal was the biggest insult of the lot. The forwards had been starved of their supply thanks to our inability to hold onto the ball and get it anywhere near them. They cannot be held to account over this, the poor souls. They ran and tried, but they were being let down by those behind them. Here comes another cross, here comes another headed goal for Sandell. Too easy. The same mistake made again. No organisation. No leadership. No ability. Glen Southam let out a fit of anger that appeared to be born out of sheer frustration. As captain Uddin cut a forlorn figure strolling back to the halfway line, Southam's passionate rage at least gave the impression that he gave a shit. This was recognised by those in the away end, who in Southam have someone we can endear ourselves too by the look of it. In short, give him the armband.
Wycombe had barely had to break sweat for their comfortable, match-winning lead. It is therefore difficult to analyse whether they can be classed as a decent side or not. They broke through us at a canter, and even that isn't saying much. Barnet were deservedly booed off. Cynicism grows throughout the ranks, and even those hardened supporters who vowed never to get angry and boo their team have gone full circle. I once held that attitude, but the last few years have turned me into an angry, negative rant merchant. Can you tell?
Regular readers this season would be wondering why at this stage I had not left, as is the norm at an away fixture. The reasons are simple. Wycombe is a horror as far as away days go. I drove down there, risking the one access road to certain death in parking near the ground, where there is approximately nothing. So if I'd wanted to leave early, where would I have gone? Would I have sat in the dark? Might have been more enjoyable I guess.
Plus I was a little compelled to see how this one ended. To see how bad it could get. To well and truly drain any more enthusiasm to go and watch us away. I was not planning on going to Shrewsbury, Stockport or any upcoming aways until Oxford. This game only solidified that plan. I am no longer willing to travel the distance, spend a lot of money and take up a large proportion of my weekend to go and watch us be served up as pure fodder for the outfits of League Two.
No-one else is either. Unless you can offer me a good away day with football being a mere sideshow, it no longer takes my interest. If it carries on like this, more and more people will feel the same, I guarantee it, and our levels of away support will continue to drop to pathetic levels. It will have continue to have a knock-on effect to home games too. All round, it's just depressing isn't it?
There was still another half of football to be played and Wycombe simply had to drop a few gears and see out their lead. As they didn't really seem to get out of first gear anyway, they didn't really have to do much. We made changes but they were largely ineffective early on, the home side were more than able to keep us at bay whilst not needing to commit too many men forward.
As the half continued, we were able to emulate some of the early danger we created opening exchanges. We had a good territorial advantage but possession around the box was wasted. That is, until Phil Walsh picked the ball up outside the box after a decent break and ignoring a very good option in Charlie Taylor unmarked to his right, unleashed a shot which rifled over the 'keeper and into the roof of the net. Oh that's a nice goal, gives us something to cheer about doesn't it? 3-1 with fifteen to play. Could we?
It envoked a bit of fire in the bellies of both the team and the crowd. We strode forward at will, continuing to exert pressure on the home defence though we were unable to find the killer ball. With three up top though, we did look quite a handful. The forwards, as previously mentioned, were all in all having a good night's work. They were though, once again, to be let down by shambolic defending.
Our inability to clear a ball out of the box, as demonstrated by Morecambe's equaliser on Saturday, was once again on full show as Kamdjo cleared to approximately nowhere near the halfway line. Wycombe returned the ball with some serious interest and a decent finish from outside the box in off the post truly killed it off. As if there was a realistic chance anyway. But there's always that blind hope isn't there? Our defence put paid to that one.
That wasn't all though, we went straight up the other end and got another one back through Steve Kabba whose workrate deserved a goal. We overloaded the box, Rossi Jarvis was free at the back post to nod it to Kabba who turned and finished from pointblank range. The two goal deficit with just four minutes remaining was to be too big a ask though and the game petered out with little more action.
Worth mentioning though was a good reception for Ben Strevens as he left the pitch in injury time. Some supporters clearly clamoured for players of yesteryear as they watched the current crop, and Ben was a key player for us throughout our years in the Conference, including the Playoff and title winning years. He saluted the away end, which was a nice touch.
So we got it back to 4-2. The neutral observer of this morning's newspapers may view it as an exciting encounter between two good sides with plenty of goals to boot. They would be wrong. To suggest that we were there for anything more than to make up the numbers could be construed as being generous. We were woeful and while we may have arguably been worth our two goals, our defence could have been worth double what they did concede.
There is no papering over cracks, there is no wool being pulled over anyone's eyes. Despite what anyone says about low budget, injuries or The Hive, it is indeniable that we are in this ugly relegation battle for the long haul. Unfortunately I don't see myself being to stomach it and force myself to watch us through thick and thin. There's nothing in it for me.
We already face a six-pointer this coming Saturday against a side that a currently worse than us, Hereford United. I don't think we should consider losing this one.
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