Nick Sandamas sees Barnet slip to defeat at Salford

Board showing info for Salford City vs Barnet through rails at the entrance to the ground — The Bees’ away day in Salford (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

The Bees’ play off hopes took a jolt following an abject performance in a defeat against fellow play off hopefuls Salford City at the Pennisula Stadium yesterday.

Two late first half goals ended the contest thus ending the Bees recent two game winning run in a season that is proving to be far too inconsistent. This disappointing result took place in front of a decent away following who had to set off early in the morning for this lunchtime kick-off.

Dean Brennan named an unchanged side but it was the Ammies who took control of the game from the off with Cole Stockton firing an early warning sign in the ninth minute with a close range effort which flew wide.

Then, minutes later, Ammies’ keeper Matt Young’s long punt forward eventually ended up at the feet of Ros Longelo, who was through on goal but saw his low shot trickle wide of the far post.

A further chance fell to Jorge Grant after Stockton played the ball to feet of the number eight but Ciaran Slicker dived to his left to keep it out then, as Graydon attempted to slot in the rebound, he was flagged offside.

In the 20th minute, the Bees produced their first meaningful foray into the Ammies’ penalty box with Dialling Jaiyesimi cutting the ball across to last weekend’s goal hero Nnamdi Ofoborh, but his first time strike went straight into the gloves of keeper Matt Young.

With six minutes to go to half time, the Ammies finally went in front when a deep cross by Grant found Longelo at the far post and he somehow managed to prod the ball into the net past Slicker.

Then, with the board about to go up for stoppage time, the hosts doubled their lead when Ryan Graydon combined with Stockton to set up Matt Butcher who fired home a half volley into the net from eight yards to give his side a two goal cushion.

The Ammies started the second half as they finished the first with a corner that found Ollie Turton but Slicker did well to push the ball against the post and, from another corner seconds later, Graydon hit a fine shot which again saw the Bees shot stopper save.

The Bees made tactical changes just short of the hour mark in an attempt to find a way back into the game pushing Idris Kanu further up but, despite this, the closest they came to an goal was in stoppage time when an Ollie Hawkins header went over.

A comfortable win for the Ammies, completing the double and ending their own recent poor run to move back into the promotion picture whilst the Bees drop one place to tenth, three points off Grimsby in the final play off spot.

The Bees will hope this was just an off day as they aim to get back on track with relegation threatened Newport County the next opponents at The Hive next Saturday.

Team: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Crichlow (Chinedu 75) Glover (Hawkins 90+1) Jaiyesimi (Hartigan 58). Ofoborh, Winterburn (Assombalonga 58) Stead (Shelton 75) Tshimanga, Kanu

Subs not used: Evans, Howland

Attendance 2537 (330 away fans)

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.