Last second heartbreak for Bees

Oldham’s late equaliser means promotion-chasing Barnet have to settle for a draw reports Nick Sandamas

The outside of The Hive Stadium, viewed from across the car park — The Hive Stadium, home of Barnet FC – (Credit – Hammersfan, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Barnet 1 Oldham Athletic 1

Mike Fondop’s goal with virtually the last kick of yesterday’s game handed his Oldham Athletic side a point and broke Barnet hearts at the same time.

The game turned after substitute Isiah Noel-Williams received a second yellow card with twenty minutes to go for an alleged elbow, with the Latics then able to take full advantage eventually getting their reward.

Following the midweek loss to Swindon Town last time out, Barnet boss Dean Brennan made three changes to his starting line up.

On loan Spurs winger Damola Ajayi was given his first start along with Romany Crichlow and Jake Reeves, who took the places of Nik Taveres, Nnamdi Ofoborh and Tom Knowles.

In the eighth minute, Kabongo Tshimanga had the first sniff at goal from a clever ball from Charlie Lakin but his shot was well saved by Matt Hudson in the Latics’ goal.

Soon after, it was the turn of Lakin, after a ball from Idris Kanu, but his first time shot struck the outside of the post.

Then, on 20 minutes, the Bees’ pressure told with the opener.

A ball by Crichlow found Tshimanga who got the better of two defenders before running towards the box and firing low past Hudson for his ninth goal of the season and his 21st since his January move to the Bees from Crawley Town.

The Bees threatened to increased their lead but it was the Latics who came close to levelling via Kai Payne, whose close range header was turned behind by Matt Cox for a corner.

Knowles entered the fray in place of Ajayi at the start of the second half and, soon after, the Bees came close to increasing their lead but Crichlow’s left sided cross to Oisin Gallagher saw the Irish midfielder head the ball over the bar.

Then, in the space of a minute, two good opportunities fell the Latics’ way.

First danger man Fondop headed a good opportunity over the bar and then a passing move saw Will Sutton feed the ball to Favour Fawunmi before his attempted curler ended up going wide of the far post.

Noel-Williams and Ofoborh came on just after the hour mark but, minutes later, an error by Adam Senior let in Fondop for a run on goal. Cox did well to get his body in the way as the ball drifted wide and was equal to a Donovan Daniels effort which saw the keeper save well and keep the hosts slender lead intact.

Then came the incident which resulted in Noel-Williams receiving a second yellow card.

His jump seemed to catch Jamie Robson in the face.

The referee gave him a second yellow and an early bath, a decision which Brennan (in his post match conference) described as a farce.

As stoppage time approached with the Bees still leading, Nik Taveres came on to shore up the defence but one last cross by the Latics produced the equaliser.

Ollie Norborn delivered a pinpoint cross into the box and Fondop rose highest to head the ball into the net to secure a point for his side to take back up the motorway.

Despite the draw, the Bees remain in second place and will look to get back to winning ways on Tuesday when a tough assignment awaits them with York City visiting The Hive for the home side’s third home encounter in seven days.

Team: Cox, Senior, Collinge, Williams, Crichlow, Reeves (Noel-Williams 62), Ajayi (Knowles 45, Tavares 88), Gallagher, Lakin (Ofoborh 62), Tshimanga, Kanu (Comley 88)

Subs not used: Haramlambous, Smith

Attendance 2632 (529 away fans)

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