Sport

Match report: Barnet vs Chelmsford

Nick Sandamas sees the Bees stroll into the FA Cup 1st Round

Barnet FC take on Chelmsford City in the FA Cup 4th qualifying round
The Bees take on Chelmsford in the FA Cup (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

Barnet 4 Chelmsford City 0

It was a comfortable afternoon for Barnet fans on Saturday as the National League leaders made it seven wins in a row by blowing away National South side Chelmsford City in the FA Cup. The Bees’ victory means they took their place in Monday night’s 1st Round draw alongside all the other 4th qualifying round winners and the League One and Two sides.

Chelmsford did create the first opportunity on goal in the third minute when a right wing cross from Oscar Thorn into the box found the head of Jordan Greenidge but he could only direct his header wide of the far post.

The Bees then started to get into their stride and, on 26 minutes, their patience paid off when they scored the opener.

Ben Coker whipped a delicious left sided cross onto the head of Nicke Kabamba and he headed the ball forward to Callum Stead who poke the ball into the net from three yards.

Mark Shelton almost doubled the lead minutes later but shot wide after being set up by Bailey Hobson.

Kabamba was next to try his luck on goal with five minutes left before the break but Ted Collins in the Clarets goal stretched himself well to direct the striker’s effort away from goal.

Within 60 seconds of that chance, the Bees did make one count to go in two goals to the good at half time: Hobson pinning a low ball into the box for Stead to slide in and score his tenth goal of the season in only 13 games.

The early moments of the second half saw Kane Crichlow flash a shot wide as he tried to get Chelmsford back into it but again the Bees came back – Hobson thundered the ball against the bar as the on loan midfielder went in search of his first Bees goal.

Another chance fell the Clarets’ way on the hour but Osman Fayo’s run into the box saw keeper Nik Hayes foil him with a good timely block.

With 66 minutes played and the game seemingly out of the Clarets’ reach, their task was made even harder by the dismissal of Arthur Penney for a cynical foul on sub Ryan Glover.

The Bees took full advantage to fire two more goals past the Clarets’ backline.

First, with 15 minutes to go, Glover scored with a near post finish after fellow sub Brunt played the ball across to him. Then, bang on 90 minutes, another sub Harry Chapman played the ball to the unmarked Brunt’s feet to take aim and calmly lift the ball over Collins to finish a satisfying afternoon’s work for the leaders to the delight of manager Dean Brennan

The Bees reward is a trip to League 1 side Exeter City to be played early next month but, before the Bees can look towards that, attention turns back to the league with three important games to be played, beginning with an away trip this Saturday to last season’s play-off finalists Solihull Moors (who of course dismantled the Bees in the semi-final).

Team: Hayes, Coker (Glover 60), Oluwo, Taveres (Grimwood 78), Kenlock, Shelton (Brunt 60), Hartigan (c), Hobson, Stead (Chapman 76), Kabamba, Kanu (Cropper 76)

Not used: Bellagambi (GK), Kizzi

Attendance: 1503 (545 away fans)


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