Match Report | Halifax Town 1-3 Barnet

The Bees came from behind to make it five wins on the bounce in all competitions at The Shay on Tuesday evening against Halifax Town.

Dean Brennan made two changes to the team that beat Scunthorpe United on Friday. Harry Smith was named in the starting XI to make his debut and Ryan De Havilland returned from his injury he picked up against Eastleigh.

It was a poor start to the game for Barnet’s standards this season as Milli Alli opened the scoring for the hosts after just 7 minutes.

Ryan De Havilland had the first big chance for The Bees when he tested Sam Johnson in the Halifax goal from close range.

Just 22 minutes into his Barnet career, Harry Smith got his first goal in Amber and Black to level the score. Cross was whipped into the box towards the back post and Harry Smith was there to get it over the line.

Smith had a chance to get his second ten minutes later. The ball fell to the forward on the edge of the box but his strike at goal went narrowly wide.

Halifax began to press heavily towards the end of the first half. Walker made an excellent save with his feet to deny The Shaymen taking the lead. The woodwork saved The Bees moments later the hosts hit the post and the crossbar in quick succession. Barnet then went straight up the other end and also hit the crossbar in what was an exciting couple of minutes of play.

HT: Halifax Town 1-1 Barnet

The second half started similarly to the first with Halifax on the attack. Laurie Walker made two crucial saves in the opening ten minutes of the half. The first came against a one-on-one with the Halifax forward. Walker timed his dive perfectly to collect the ball for the attackers’ feet. The second came minutes later against Milli Alli who has already put one past Barnet in the game. The forward unleashed his strike from a tight angle which Walker stretched across and stopped.

Smith came close to giving Barnet the lead on the hour mark. Cross was played into the Halifax box and Smith was found with plenty of space. His headed effort went straight into the arms of Johnson.

Ryan De Havilland hit the bar minutes later. His free-kick beat the wall and the keeper but was denied by the woodwork.

Barnet eventually took the lead through Nicke Kabamba. Kabamba placed a powerful strike past Johnson from close range before running over to the travelling faithful.

The Shaymen thought they equalized straight from the kick-off only to be denied by a brilliant on the line clearance from Marvin Armstrong. Moussa Diarra then put his body on the line to deny the hosts and that was followed by Dale Gorman clearing the ball off the line with his head.

Barnet resisted the Halifax pressure and put the game to bed with ten minutes left of play as Moussa Diarra headed in The Bees third goal of the game.

FT Halifax Town 1-3 Barnet

That victory moved Brennan’s side up to fourth in the National League table and three points away from third place Woking. The Bees are back in FA Trophy action this weekend (Saturday 11th February, 15:00 KO) as we take on Torquay United at Plainmoor with a place in the Quarter-Finals up for grabs.

Barnet Starting XI: Walker, Collinge, Beard (Diarra 69’), Okimo, Gorman, Kabamba, Kanu, Pritchard, Wynter, Smith (Armstrong 68’), De Havilland (Woods 80’)

Unused substitutes: Hall, Moyo

Attendance: 1,449

Player of the Match: Laurie Walker