Nick Sandamas sees the Bees lose again at home to Walsall

Barnet FC take on Solihull at The Hive — The Bees in action last season (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

Barnet 1 Walsall 2

Newly promoted Barnet’s worrying start to the league season continued as Walsall became the latest opponents to inflict a defeat on the ten man Bees, who are still seeking their first point following the opening three games.

Dean Brennan rang the changes following last Saturday’s loss against Bromley with Adam Senior, Callum Stead, Kane Smith and Ollie Hawkins coming into the starting eleven at the expense of Idris Kanu (who was on the bench) and Romany Crichlow, Dennis Adeniran and Joe Hugill not involved.

The much changed Bees started badly, with on loan keeper Cieran Slicker picking the ball out of his net in the second minute as the Saddlers went in front.

Danny Collinge’s attempted pass in his own half was played straight to the feet of Jonny Stuttle on the left and his pass found Charlie Lakin whose low ball into the box was fired into the net by Connor Barrett.

Nnamdi Ofoborh, on eleven minutes, had the Bees’ first strike on the Saddlers’ goal but his shot went high and wide. He had an even better chance to level five minutes later but his strike from the left hand side saw keeper Myles Roberts beat his shot away.

Then, with 22 minutes gone, the Saddlers doubled their lead when a fine free kick from the left by Mason Hancock found Aaron Prestley at the back post and he made no mistake with a first time shot.

However with five minutes to go to half time, Ollie Hawkins headed in unmarked via a Anthony Hartigan corner to halve the deficit, with the Bees’ first league goal since May 2018 giving the Bees hope for the second half.

All hope seemed gone eight minutes into the second half, though, when a run on the right by Barrett was stopped unfairly by Ofoborh, who was promptly shown a second yellow card to leave the Bees a man light and still a goal down.

Strangely, going a man down, seemed to galvanise the Bees who had the better of the rest of the game but Matt Sadler’s team held firm to go back up to the Midlands with all three points to leave the home side as one of League Two sides without a point so far.

They are on the road for the next two games with a midweek trip to Swindon Town followed by a visit to Cheltenham Town next Saturday.

Team: Slicker, Collinge. Senior, Tavares, Glover (Kanu 81), Hartigan (Brunt 81), Shelton (Osadebe 65), Ofoborh, Smith (Galvin 60), Stead (Ndlovu 81), Hawkins

Subs not used: Wright, High

Attendance 2638 (806 away fans)

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