I’m writing this on the tube home after an away game that will live long, long in the memory. I must admit, I was an iffy attendee for this one until the day before. Life is busy but I’d put Dagenham away on the calendar (literally) when the fixtures came out as one to do. Kitchen calendar rules in my house, so this was adhered to.
As I dragged myself across London on the tube with a Bring Barnet Back Quiz related hangover (have I mentioned we won?) very much in tow, I did ponder if this was a good idea. A fourth visit to Dagenham over a near twenty-year span. A draw the best I’d seen previously with the last visit the 7-3 horror show in April 2022. Incredible to think that was only just over two years ago.
It very much is the Far East of London and a fair old jaunt from the civilisation of my North London home. Three tubes and a c2c train from Fenchurch Street eventually got me to Upminster in time to sample one posh beer in a nice Taproom with some of the usual suspects. There may have been a little tin of Gordon’s G&T to shake off the cobwebs on the train prior to this, but I cannot confirm that rumour.
Time was at a premium and via a squashed Uber, we arrived at Victoria Road (whatever sponsor iteration it currently has) about quarter of an hour before kick-off. Time for a very disappointing, hurried pre match second beer. In what world do Dagenham & Redbridge suppose it’s acceptable to still have Carling as their only lager on offer in 2024?
The setting does feel very most post-industrial East London. Factory roofs in the distance and a non-descript warehouse unit behind the tired looking home terrace. This isn’t somewhere that screams prosperity. Lots of grounds don’t change over time very much but everything about this place is identical to first visits in the early 2000s. The half-arsed away segregation a nice indicator of the somewhat apathetic feel to the whole place.
Onto the game then. ‘Worst start possible,’ is probably the most applicable three-word description. It took the hosts just twenty-two seconds to unlock a lacklustre Barnet defence and take the lead. A number of individuals will be pretty disappointed with that. I’m struggling to remember a quicker goal conceded - anyone?
However, a sense of things to come was given by a very prompt response. A low drive from outside of the box from Idris Kanu had Barnet on terms after just four minutes. Hard to really get a sense of things from the other end of the ground, but it looked like one their keeper might have been a little disappointed with.
The rest of the first half settled down after such a full-on start. Barnet had a lot of possession but did very little with it. The familiar frustration was a lack of end product after some nice stuff; particularly from our goalscorers’ crossing delivery.
It was Dagenham who edged back in front in the latter stages of the first half. More weak defending allowed a sloppy second and saw us go in behind at the break.
It was a busy half time bar, oiling a fairly vociferous Barnet away end. The numbers looked healthy although we had certainly attracted a few unfamiliar characters for this one. One chap taking it upon himself to climb over the segregation towards the end of the first half to wind the football hooligan uniformed teenagers up in the home end. Everyone is welcome to enjoy following Barnet however they like, but it did feel a bit like a dip in quality of away support clientele in some instances here. I’m not sure the said character was permitted to watch the second forty-five after a word with the local constabulary.
Half time discussions were very much around whether an improvement seemed realistic or not. One chat ending with the mention of it perhaps being as a bit of an away day classic comeback. No spoilers, but that wasn’t the worst shout.
It looked even further away in the opening stages of the second half as Dagenham helped themselves to a third goal. At the time, it felt like a sucker punch and it was hard to see a way back. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t seriously questioning if using an afternoon out from family duties was a wise choice at this stage. What is it about Dagenham away? A question several of you were probably asking in that moment.
I want to try and pace what happened next but it might be difficult. From no hope to bucketloads, in an instant. Bailey Hobson, who was utterly ridiculous in his industrious contribution all over the pitch, was fouled in the box. It looked the right call. Penalty. With no time to waste, Kabamba took it quickly and dispatched well. Game on?
The second Barnet goal was in the sixty fifth minute. Enough time, but maybe a little far-fetched to expect too much. We were given a helping hand just three minutes later when for what looked (without the benefit of seeing back yet) a softer shout, we were awarded a second penalty.
A carbon copy from the Bees number nine who smashed the ball home to level things. 3-3. Take a point? You got the sense this was turning.
It’s hard to put into words why it (unusually) felt like this was going to be our day. A loud away following, the team attacking our end and under the floodlights. There was just something. It just felt like this was all very much on. In a very short space of time, the tide had hugely turned.
Rhys Browne and Calum Stead had been introduced from the bench and significantly added to our attacking threat. Stead replacing Brunt at half time was a surprise in some ways although it’s fair to say Barnet’s number 17 had not had a performance of any note.
It was the later sub, Browne, who would prove to be the match winner. On seventy-seven minutes, he cut inside and drilled a low effort towards the bottom corner. It was another where the goalkeeper may have done better, but did we care? It was one of those where it seemed to go in almost in slow motion. Scenes, I think they call it.
It was a moment where everything goes out the window. I found myself running down the steps and in no time at all was in the arms of our goal scorer. I would like to take this opportunity to formally apologise to the birthday boy (Browne) as in the excitement he took a very unintentional fist to the face. I did give him a kiss on the head to say sorry. It would fair to say Barnet’s winner made me lose a bit of composure. Football is meant to be a release though, right? I bloody love it.
The pace of the game didn’t particularly slow and just a few minutes later we were all left scratching our heads as to how Kabamba didn’t have his hat trick. A lovely low whipped cross was met by the Barnet striker but seemingly with the wrong part of his body. He ended up just over the goal line but the ball didn’t.
Inevitably, Dagenham toiled to get back level. They looked shellshocked and shattered but it didn’t make for any less of a nervy finale.
Seven minutes of stoppage time began with a sitter being ballooned over the bar. This was celebrated almost like a fifth goal for Barnet. In the real dying embers, there was another chance that was well blocked. The effort from the rebound was struck with real force. It seemingly went wide and behind, bouncing back off the advertising boards but from our angle looked incredibly dangerous.
The referee unnecessarily longed things out past the 97th minute before finally blowing up for full time. Get. In. You cannot beat that roar of relief and joy upon the sound of the end of the match when you’ve done an away madness. Special.
Brennan and the team were rightly lauded as they came over to the excitable visitors’ section at full time.
The last few weeks it has felt like a bit of a change in the mood since losing top spot. Let’s hope this fantastic comeback and big victory over tricky opposition gets us back on that trail to first.
It sounds very spoilt but we don’t want to be in the play-off places. We know that’s not for us. We look like we have enough to challenge for the title - but we now need to build on a hopefully significant turning point here.
A long tube journey home but the smile has still not gone. A great Barnet weekend thus far with the Bring Barnet Back Friday night quiz to kick things off. Thank you if you attended and showed your support. All credit to the management team for participating and respect to Connor Smith for donning the t shirt and badge.
If, like me, you were unable to get to the planning consultation on Thursday night in Tudor Hall, try and get along on Sunday afternoon between 3-6pm. Showing our support in numbers is crucial. I’m looking forward to it.
With the planning due to go in soon, let’s hope we are entering the most exciting of Barnet eras on and off the pitch…
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