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Match report: Barnet 2 – 6 Concord Rangers

Barnet were eliminated from the FA Trophy on Tuesday, as a young side went down 6-2 to Concord Rangers in their first round replay at The Hive.

Bernard Mensah and Mathew Stevens scored from the spot in either half for the Bees, but it was not enough as the Conference South side progressed to the second round.

Martin Allen made five changes to the side that drew 0-0 at the Aspect Arena on Saturday, handing senior debuts to left-back Tamille Roache and midfielder Wesley Fonguck with the youngsters making up two of six Youth Team players in the starting line-up.

Joe Gater continued in the centre of defence alongside Charlie Kennedy, with Luke Gambin lining up on the wings and Mathew Stevens partnering Bernard Mensah in attack.

Barnet saw plenty of the ball during the opening stages but fell behind after eight minutes after being caught out down the right, as Joe Gardner cross for Steve Cawley to turn in from close range.

Despite the setback the Bees continued to be on top, with Adam Mekki causing plenty of problems with his bursts forward, setting Mensah up midway through the first half as the striker saw a shot fizz narrowly wide.

Mensah went even closer shortly after the half-hour mark, seeing a shot bounce back off the inside of the far post with the keeper beaten.

The Watford loanee did not have to wait much longer for his goal however, after Barnet were awarded a penalty just moments later. Mathew Stevens was the man to win it after being dragged down in the box by Matt Fry, and Mensah made no mistake from the spot to make it 1-1.

They had strong appeals for a second penalty nine minutes later when Mathew Stevens appeared to have his legs taken from under him as he bore down on goal, but the referee waved them away as the teams went in level at half time.

The visitors would go on to take the lead early in the second half however, with Sam Collins drilling home a low shot from the edge of the box after Gater had done well to block Lewis Taaffe’s effort.

They made it 3-1 after an hour when Taaffe beat the offside trap following the second phase of a corner, calmy cutting inside and poking home from a tight angle.

Barnet found a way back into the game on 66 minutes when Mathew Stevens won another penalty following some holding in the box, with the young striker stepping up himself to impudently dink the ball down the middle to make it 3-2.

The comeback didn’t last long however, as Concord struck back just one minute later when Steve Cawley was deemed to have beaten the offside trap before racing clear down the left and drilling the ball in at the near post.

Barnet responded by throwing on both Elliot Harris and Fumnaya Shomotun in attack as well as Sam Muggleton in defence, and went close to cutting the deficit on 70 minutes when Bernard Mensah nearly took advantage of a slip at the back, only to be denied by Vickers’ trailing leg.

Concord wrapped up the tie with seven minutes remaining when Mitchell Pinnock bent the ball into the top corner from 25 yards out, before another substitute in Tony Stokes madeit 6-2 to the Beach Boys in the closing minutes.

The Bees will consume their league campaign on Saturday with a home game against Chester at The Hive in the first of an action-packed Christmas schedule.

Barnet FC: Sam Cowler; Harry Taylor, Joe Gater, Charlie Kennedy (Sam Muggleton 57), Tamille Roache; Adam Mekki (Elliot Harris 66), David Hunt (c) (Fumnaya Shomotun 68), Wesley Fonguck, Luke Gambin; Bernard Mensah, Mathew Stevens.

Concord Rangers: Josh Vickers; Jeremy Walker, Matt Fry, Steve King (c), Danny Glozier; JoeGardner (Mitchell Pinnock 40), James White, Alex Woodyard, Sam Collins; Lewis Taaffe (Tony Stokes 70), Steve Cawley (Taylor Miles 70).

Attendance: 354.