MATCH REPORT | RADCLIFFE FC 1-2 BARNET FC | ISUZU FA TROPHY FOURTH ROUND

The Bees came from behind to beat Northern Premier League – Premier Division league leaders Radcliffe in the Isuzu FA Trophy.

 

Idris Kanu had the first attempt of the game after two minutes. The winger cut inside and curled a shot towards goal which went wide of the target. The home side went straight down the other end and forced Josh Keeley into making an excellent save.

 

An excellent team move that started from Josh Keeley lead to a Zak Brunt effort from the edge of the box which tested the Radcliffe keeper. The keeper could only palm the ball into the path of Nicke Kabamba who could not divert the ball into the goal.

 

Kabamba had another opportunity at goal when he got onto the end of Zak Brunt’s cross. The forward couldn’t keep his header on target as the ball went over the bar.

 

Radcliffe would get the next chance to take the lead but the strike from outside the box was safely caught by Keeley. The hosts would come close again but would be denied by Ben Wynter and Finley Potter.

 

The end-to-end game continued with Marvin Armstrong being denied by a great block from close range to give The Bees the lead. Minutes later a long ball from Keeley was headed on by Kabamba into the path of Callum Stead who made a darting run into the Radcliffe box before going for goal. Stead’s effort was well saved by the keeper.

 

Radcliffe continued to challenge The Bees and had two shots which narrowly went wide of goal before the home side did take the lead through Anthony Dudley.

 

Just six minutes later The Bees found an equaliser through Marvin Armstrong. The ball found our number 5 in the Radcliffe box before he poked the ball between the keepers legs to bring the game level.

 

HT: Radcliffe FC 1-1 Barnet FC

 

Callum Stead had an early chance to give The Bees the lead in the second half but his strike inside the Radcliffe box was well blocked by a Radcliffe defender. The home side would go straight down the other end and have an opportunity to take the lead again. Luc Navarro with a free-header in the box was put wide of the target.

 

Finley Potter was called into action as he made an excellent goal-line clearance to deny the home side taking the lead.

 

The Bees took the lead for the first time in the game after 66 minutes. Ball played into the Radcliffe box found Marvin Armstrong at the near post who tucked home his second of the game.

 

Armstrong almost had his hat-trick but was denied by a block inside the Radcliffe box.

 

Callum Stead almost got his first goal of the game when he managed to get around the Radcliffe keeper and go for goal into an empty net. His effort was cleared off the line to deny The Bees doubling the lead.

 

Finley Potter was the hero again with 8 minutes left of play. Corner ball from Radcliffe found the head of an attacker who managed to get his effort at goal over Keeley and destined for the back of the net before Potter cleared the ball off the line to keep our lead.

 

Dean Brennan would make a triple substitution heading into stoppage time with Reece Hall-Johnson, Ben Coker and Connor Stevens coming on for Callum Stead, Idris Kanu and Zak Brunt.

 

The Bees saw out the game and progressed into the last 16 of the Isuzu FA Trophy.

 

FT: Radcliffe FC 1-2 Barnet FC

 

Starting XI: Keeley, Armstrong, Okimo, Kabamba, Stead (Hall-Johnson 90+1′), Kanu (Coker 90+1′), Hartigan, Wynter (C), Potter, Cropper, Brunt (Stevens 90+1′)

Unused Subs: Gillmore, Grigoriou

Yellow Cards: Cropper

Goals: Armstrong 44′, 66′

 

Attendance: 1,408