ANOTHER LATE STRIKE FOILS GULLS
 
Back in August and September, when we stupidly thought we might be in for a good season, Torquay United kept five clean-sheets in their first nine games and, after beating Mansfield 1-0 after the fifth of them on September 16, they stood seventh in the table. Happy days!

Only once since then, in a 0-0 draw at home to Shrewsbury at the end of October, have United stopped the opposition scoring. They've won only once in that desperate run of 22 matches.And even Leatherhead of the Ryman League Division One South hit the Torquay net in the FA Cup.

As we all know, many of the most damaging goals in that long torture have come when the Fourth Official has either been tapping the stoppage-time minutes into his board or after he has held it aloft.

And, sure as eggs, it happened yet again at Plainmoor on Saturday.

Clinging on unconvincingly to Craig Taylor's 44th minute header, United had the chance to cut the gap between them and the other League Two relegation strugglers to a encouragingly bridgeable three points - if they could keep a clean-sheet.

No chance.

In the 89th minute Barnet deservedly capped their second-half superiority when Nicky Nicolau gleefully forced home the equaliser.

Nicolau had been one of three substitutes whom manager Paul Fairclough sent on in the 71st minute.

They changed the game.

The Bees, incidentally, were without nine senior players, through injury or suspension. And they still filled their bench OK.

United had five subs all right, used only two of them in the end and, in reality, changed nothing.

Desperate to stop an avalanche of 15 goals conceded in five matches, United set themselves up with Lee Thorpe as a lone striker, with Jamal Easter and Stephen Cooke doing their best to support him as quickly as possible from the wings.

It worked defensively in a scrappy first half which saw six balls hoofed into Marnham Road in the first 25 minutes.

But in attack it put a premium on Thorpe - no point in flicking the ball on to Jamie Ward any more - holding it up. He did his best with erratic service.

You couldn't help wondering if United would have won with Ward, and Adam Murray as well, in the side.

There was an interesting meeting of minds in midfield, where United's Paul Smith, 35, making his home debut, and Barnet's Andy Hessenthaler, 41, were in opposition.

They had played hundreds of games together for Gillingham and no doubt exchanged a word or two during the afternoon. In actual play, however, they seldom crossed swords, both playing anchor roles in front of their defences.

Barnet were also forced to start with warhorse Paul Warhurst up front, while United had another 37-year-old, Kevin Miller, in goal. Quite a day for golden oldies.

Barnet's main threat in the first half came from set-pieces by left-back Adam Gross, while United might have done better if Cooke had got his shot off quicker after intercepting a crossfield pass and homing in on goal in the 19th minute.

Lee Mansell, industrious as ever, nearly nipped through on a great flick by Thorpe, but the game was already looking like a bore-draw when United took the lead in the 44th minute.

Mansell floated in a free-kick from the right and Craig Taylor rose to score his first goal of the season at the far-post with a downward header.

If Gulls fans hoped that their team might push on for an important second successive home win, they were disappointed.

From the restart, Mark Robinson had to come up with a great block to deny teenage debutant Stuart Lewis, a kid straight out of Spurs' Academy.

Apart from one bustling run and a shot over the bar by Thorpe, you'd never have known that United were at home or in the lead.

Barnet, keeping the ball better and with nothing to lose, ended up forcing ten corners to United's none. A telling statistic in itself.

After Barry Cogan missed a wonderful chance, blasting over from 12 yards on a Richard Graham cross - Stev Angus' last-ditch challenge may have been just enough to put him off - Bees manager Paul Fairclough went for broke with 20 minutes to go.

He made a triple substitution - Oliver Allen for Gross, Nicky Nicolau for Graham and Magno Vieira for Warhurst.

A minute later Barnet were convinced they had a penalty when Adam Birchall went down under a challenge by Lee Andrews.

We've all seen them given, but referee Andy Hall was well placed and would have none of it.

United, for whom Taylor was the pick in defence, briefly threatened to close the game out, Mansell with a volley saved after Andrews' long throw was flicked on and substitute Kevin Hill, who should have done better with a header from a high ball by Smith.

I thought United worked hard to defend their lead in the closing stages - Easter looked out on his feet long before he was taken off in the 85th minute - but if you can't keep the ball, you're asking for trouble.

In the last ten minutes it was all Barnet.

Lewis' goalbound shot deflected behind by Taylor, Vieira had a volley held by Miller and in the 89th minute the visitors equalised.

United, presumably worried about diving in, allowed Vieira to jink his way across the Ellacombe End area from the left and their hesitancy was punished when Nicolau forced the ball home at the far-post.

Manager Lubos Kubik again questioned United's fitness after the match. What, in February?
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