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Nartey Nartey, very Nartey!
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By:
Max Bygraves
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25/08/2024
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This article has been viewed 597 times.
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I’m sorry, I had to use this one now just in case for any reason he never plays again. What an impressive cameo off the bench from our 176th summer arrival. If you don’t know the reference, hang your head in shame and Spotify search ‘Ebeneezer Goode.’ You’ll work it out and you’re most welcome.
Bit of a prompt start here, shall we re-group?
Barnet welcomed Southend to The Hive, looking to make it four wins in a row against the Essex giants. As is customary for this fixture, we were once again outnumbered on our own patch. 1603 Shrimpers fans didn’t quite pack out the away end despite their midweek pleas for more tickets, but it’s fair to say they made themselves known.
Walking down to the ground in torrential rain, with the floodlights on at 2:30pm on an August afternoon, you could hear the noise from the away end already. What unacceptable weather for this time of year. Having to pause the walk from the car to take shelter briefly under a bus stop is not something anyone should be doing on the first Saturday home game of a new campaign.
The zip on the pitch certainly was conducive to the continued Barnet Way we are seeing in the passing game at the moment. Like Tuesday, some more fantastic stuff to watch. In the opposition half, it’s a joy to behold. In our own half? A little less comfortable.
All for having an attractive playing identity and being on the easy eye, but does every player need to adhere to it? Nick Hayes wasn’t overly tested during the game but his footwork and kicking didn’t overly inspire confidence throughout. On the theme of songs in this article, an adapted chorus of Phats & Small’s dance hit ‘Turn Around’ from 1999 came to mind. Previously reserved for our one time opponents Hayes (FC), let’s hope it’s not a question we have to ask ourselves too many times this season.*
*Again, if this is not registering, do a Spotify search and work it out. This is all very normal. It’s fine. The original lyrics from Westy in 2001/02 were in relation to Hayes’ relegation struggle alongside Dover. A classic.
Barnet were the stronger team throughout the first half and were duly rewarded just after the half hour mark. Harry Chapman, on his first start for the club, drove home an effort from outside the box. Southend’s keeper might have done better, but the aforementioned pitch zip no doubt helped. Whilst patience led to reward on Tuesday, it was pleasing to see someone take initiative from range and for it to pay off on this occasion. Anywhere to score is the right way to score when it works.
At the halfway point, it was a similar feeling to Tuesday. Possession and control but this time also an advantage to show for it. The Wardrobe made a very valid point that at this stage, however, that there was an air of deserved confidence that we’d be fine from here on what we’d seen.
This confidence was to feel misplaced in a very sudden moment just after the hour, when Gus Scott-Morris fired home an equaliser in front of the vociferous away end. Smoke bombs and everything. Big day out, indeed.
Last season, when we edged a nervy 1-0 win over the same opposition, there was a second half spell where it felt like the swelled away end was going to suck the ball in. For a couple of minutes after the equaliser, that familiar feeling was present once more. They’d got one and the momentum was with them. What was encouraging to see was the way we weathered the (short) storm, then got it all back together. Quickly.
There is always an element of luck when it’s a penalty, but having seen it back, they can’t have many complaints, can they? A reckless, silly pull back on Mark Shelton gave the referee little choice. The midfielder dusted himself down and capped a fine first start with what proved to be the winning goal.
The final twenty minutes saw debuts for the already referenced Nartey and also Glover. Nartey made a number of good tackles and commanded possession well in a number of areas of the pitch. We saw less of Glover, but from reports, there’s lots to come there. Jermaine Francis also showed a few positive glimpses after his introduction late on. A quick shout out to Jerome Okimo who made a late cameo and made one particularly Jerome Okimo-esque challenge. What a man.
Following five minutes of added time, another roar of satisfaction and relief met a full time whistle at The Hive. Six very big points gained there this week. Confidence and hopefully momentum building. There’s not much time to dwell on this result with the quick Bank Holiday turnaround but let’s hope that winning habit is being truly formed.
It was great to see Harry Pritchard on the pitch at full time and he fully deserved his moment with the fans. A player who has made a huge contribution during his time at the club. Very sorry to see him go. Look out for an additional piece on him here once we’re the other side of this fixture double header.
On a personal note, I attended this one with my four year old daughter. She’s certainly at the stage where it’s more about the all-round experience than the game itself, naturally. The snacks in her bag during the second half were undoubtedly her highlight. However, she sat through the ninety and regularly gave me thumbs up to say she was enjoying herself at various check in points, including being very adamant about not going down for a break before half time.
This match was 25 years to the day since my first competitive Barnet game against Bournemouth at Underhill (I did go to a friendly prior to that - the pedant in me couldn’t leave that detail out). It felt like a very apt way to mark that anniversary (or is it a milestone?) of support to be there with my own child today. Some would question the parenting to inflict this on another generation, but whilst there’s willing on her side, hopefully plenty of memories like this to be made.
Here’s to another quarter of a century and more, starting in Berkshire on Monday.
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