Nick Sandamas on a great month for title-chasing Barnet FC

Wealdstone take on Barnet in the National League — The Bees take on Wealdstone earlier this month – (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

With the second month of the National League season now played, the title race is now starting to take shape. With 12 games played, the Bees are now beginning to believe in their tag of pre-season title favourites and are leading the league as we approach the third month of the season.

The end of August yielded a magnificent 7-0 win over Tamworth which saw Zak Brunt score a hat-trick with hopes high going into the first match of September, a visit to then leaders Gateshead.

However things didn’t go according to plan, as a goal in each half condemned the Black & Amber to a defeat which meant that they had lost three games with the season only a month old, causing some raised eyebrows.

But all that would change as they then reeled off five wins in a row to end the month top of the tree with a two-point lead going into October.

First up on the following Tuesday, the Bees welcomed Altrincham under the lights at The Hive. The visitors who scored first through ex-Bee Justin Amazulor, however the home side roared back to take the points, first equalising through Harry Chapman, then scoring a dramatic stoppage time winner via the head of Rhys Browne.

Next up, Braintree Town visited The Hive and, as in the previous game, an ex-Bee came back to score, this time John Akinde in the opening minute, but again the Bees came back to grab all 3 points with strikes from Mark Shelton, Callum Stead and an own goal accounting for the Iron.

A week later and it was a teatime visit to local rivals Wealdstone for a rather tasty derby at Grosvenor Vale but, unlike previous seasons where the Stones have upped their game in this fixture, this became a one-sided affair with the Bees strolling to a comfortable 3-0 win.

Second half goals by Shelton (penalty), Stead and Kabamba gave the large away following a Saturday night to remember, as the win also took the Bees to the top of the pile for the first time this season.

A tough encounter ensued at the EBB stadium against Aldershot the following Tuesday where a tight game was settled by Kabamba’s headed goal in the first half.

A good month was ended with a 2-0 home win over AFC Fylde, who proved to be hard to break down in the first half, but the second half finally saw them break the stubborn resistance with Kabamba scoring just short of the hour mark and Stead striking right at the death to make sure of the win to end the month on a high.

October will see the Bees entertain Boston United and Rochdale with trips to Solihull Moors and York City whilst their FA Cup campaign starts in earnest in the 4th qualifying round with their opponents not known at the time of going to press.

One other piece of news is the Bees declined an invitation to take part in the newly formed National League Cup made up of the top 14 sides from last season’s final table but – excluding the promoted Bromley and Chesterfield but including the two relegated sides from League Two, Forest Green & Sutton, and also the Premier League U21 sides.

The other sides who decided not to take part were Eastleigh, Solihull and Southend.

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