Nick Sandamas reports on another away day success for the Bees

The programme cover for Tranmere's match against Barnet on 11th October 2025

It was a day to remember for Barnet as their first ever meeting with Tranmere Rovers ended in a comfortable victory that moved them into the heady heights of the play-off spots.

With only one defeat in the last seven league games, the Bees made just the one change from the win over Accrington with Anthony Hartigan restored to the starting line up to replace Emanuel Osadebe who dropped to the bench.

Danny Collinge fired the first chance for the Bees into the side netting on six minutes and Rovers had an even better chance to take the lead soon after but Jayden Joseph (bearing down on goal) could only drag his shot wide.

Ryan Glover was next to have a shot at goal on the fifteen minute mark but Rovers keeper Joe Murphy got down smartly to push the winger’s effort away from danger.

However, with twenty-six minutes gone, a piece of magic by Hartigan led to the opener, as he split the defence with a delicious through ball to find Lee Ndlovu, who run through & placed his shot low shot past Murphy.

Rovers carved out a chance four minutes later but Joe Ironside could only place his header over the bar.

Then, with five minutes to go to half time, a great piece of play on the right by Nathan Ofoborh found Danny Collinge whose cross found the waiting Adam Senior in the six yard box and he duly buried his header into the net to give the Bees a two-goal cushion.

Rovers came out fighting at the start of the second half and, for the first ten minutes, looked more likely to get the next goal but the Bees pulled out all the stops to keep their two-goal lead.

Charlie Whitaker bore down on goal for Rovers with fifteen minutes left but shot wide whilst, late on, the Bees had two golden opportunities to extend their advantage.

First Murphy got fingertips to Mark Shelton’s shot to push it over the bar after Glover played the ball into the number 19 and, with the full time whistle imminent, Idris Kanu went on a run but his shot curled wide.

There was a sour note, though, after the full time whistle had blown with keeper Ciaran Slicker getting caught in a scuffle with a home player and the referee showing him a red card but let’s not take that away from what was a good away day for the large contingent of travelling Bees.

After the moans & groans of the first few weeks back in the EFL, they are now looking like the side that lifted the National League title last season and next Saturday will be hoping to continue their upturn in form when Notts County come to town.

Team: Slicker, Collinge,Senior, Tavares, Crichlow (Galvin 68), Glover, Ofoborh Hartigan, Stead (Shelton 80), Ndlovu (Hawkins 80), Kanu (Osadebe 90+2)

Subs not used: Evans, Winterburn, Kensdale

Attendance 6519

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