Match Preview: Wealdstone (A)

4 April 2021

The Bees make the short trip to Grosvenor Vale as they face Wealdstone in Vanarama National League action. Preview in association with LV Bet

FIXTURE DETAILS:

Wealdstone FC vs Barnet FC

Monday April 5th, 15:00

Grosvenor Vale

Vanarama National League

THE STONES:

League Position: 20th (P30, W8, D6, L16)

Last Result: Bromley 2-2 Wealdstone (Good Friday)

Manager: Stuart Maynard

One to watch: Jacob Mendy

The Stones will be pleased with how things have gone in their campaign to date after promotion from The National League South last season. They made a bright start to the campaign and spent large parts of October and November on the fringes of the play-off positions and in the top half of the table. However, after a poor run of form through December and the new year, there was a change of management as Dean Brennan departed and was subsequently replaced by his long term assistant, Stuart Maynard.

Since the turn of the year, our next opponents have struggled for wins, with only two victories over Kings Lynn Town and Boreham Wood respectively. The Stones have slipped down ten places in the league table since our last meeting, with them currently occupying 20th in The National League standings. With no relegation on the cards, the Stones, like many other sides can start to prepare for the 2021/22 campaign and ensure they see out the rest of this campaign with as much positivity as possible. Maynard's side picked up a solid away point at Hayes Lane on Good Friday, as they drew 2-2 with Bromley in an eventful match which saw the Stones rush into a two-goal lead. Our hosts have picked up more points on home turf than on the road, so the match will be another tricky encounter for the Bees and given the history between the sides, it's set to be an edgy occasion.

THE BEES:

The Bees will continue with Gary Anderson in the dugout, as the process of appointing a new coaching team continues at The Hive London. After a bright start against Solihull Moors and a more solid display, a late sucker punch goal at the end of the first half, before a controversial second goal saw the Moors take the points. Tomorrow's game gives the Bees the chance to restore some pride after a miserable campaign to date and a win over local neighbours Wealdstone would be the perfect tonic to bounce back from three defeats on the spin. The Bees have shown in recent matches on the road against Bromley and Stockport County that they can perform and take the game to teams, so they'll need to show some of that level of performance in tomorrow's clash with the Stones. The Stones have the second-worst defensive record in the division, so it is perhaps a chance for the Bees to start on the front foot and take the game to their hosts.

Saturday's defeat saw Michael Petrasso limp off with injury, whilst Themis Kefalas picked up a one-game ban after he was sent off for two bookable offences. They'll both miss the trip to Grosvenor Vale, along with Ben Richards-Everton who is also serving a suspension after receiving a straight red card against Chesterfield. However, these remaining fixtures will allow for some fringe players to seize an opportunity to impress, with the likes of Antonis Vasiliou and Matt Preston recently earning some extended game time.

WHAT'S BEEN SAID:

Gary Anderson:

"I think the supporters and people watching or reading these interviews are pretty fed up with hearing the words, it’s the same thing every single time. We need to illustrate it not by saying the right thing but by doing the right thing.

We cannot control the situation regarding the managerial appointments, I said before that it’s so important that when the appointment is made it is the right appointment for the long term strategy.

"We need to stand up, take responsibility and have pride in the way we go about our work. At our team meeting today we talked about what we can do to change things, without question there is an overwhelming desire to be better, everyone accepts that what is being produced is nowhere good enough.

There is never any excuse not to try and do the right thing, we have watched Wealdstone over their last few games and we have a strategy to try and combat their threats. Make no mistake it's going to be a very tough game with the added spice of a bank holiday derby game. Wealdstone are a dangerous opponent and the early part of the season highlighted how good they can be."

WHERE TO FOLLOW THE ACTION:

Wealdstone will be live streaming the clash via their website.

To purchase your match pass or for more information on the Stones' live stream, CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, we will have live text commentary via our Twitter account.

Match Reports

Match Report: Wealdstone 5 -1 Barnet FC

5 April 2021

The Bees were blitzed away by Wealdstone after the hosts scored three second half goals with the Bees down to ten men.

The Bees made yet another slow start to a match and found themselves behind as John Okimo headed home unmarked from a Green corner.

We responded well to falling behind and had a cracking chance to level things up, after good trickery from Antonis Vasiliou found Lee Vaughan in acres of space, but the full-back's strike whistled past the post.

The Bees saw a lot of the ball in the first half, but couldn't unlock the resolute Wealdstone defence, with chances at a premium in the Easter Monday sunshine.

We would once again become the leaders of our own downfall as we went two behind on the half hour mark, as the Stones won the ball on the halfway line and broke quickly, with Dennon Lewis firing a deflected strike past the despairing glove of Aymen Azaze.

It is unfathomable how the Bees didn't get themselves back into the game before the break, as they spurned a succession of chances to get one back. First, Mason-Clark found Anthony Wordsworth in space on the edge, only for his goalbound strike to be blocked away.

Then it was Vasiliou, who was the Bees brightest player in the opening 45, who had the next chance as his deflected effort was saved by the legs of the Wealdstone of the 'keeper. Before the young Cypriot did well to work some space on the corner of the box, only for his effort to go inches past the far post.

The Bees finally got their goal back just 120 seconds into the second half, after Vasiliou did brilliantly to get into box before squaring for Courtney Baker-Richardson who couldn't miss.

It all boiled over just before the hour mark, as Baker-Richardson was shown a straight red for what appeared to be violent conduct after 20 of the 22 players were in a scrum pushing and shoving.

The ten man Bees should have been level with 25 minutes to play, as substitute Muhammadu Faal raced clear one-on-one but was denied by the 'keepers legs when trying to slot home.

It was a chance the Bees were left to rue as moments later the Stones scored their third of the afternoon, as Fasanmade poked home at the near post. It was four just a minute later as the Bees imploded and conceded a spot kick that was duly converted by Jacob Mendy.

It was five moments later as Lewis added his second of the afternoon, as he had time and space to convert with the Bees pushed high the Stones half.

Things went from bad to worse as Wordsworth limped off injured with eight minutes to play.

BARNET: AZAZE, PRESTON, MCQUEEN (Faal 65'), TAYLOR, MCBURNIE (Adeloye 68'), BAKER-RICHARDSON, MASON-CLARK, VAUGHAN, VASILIOU (Hooper 79'), DALY, WORDSWORTH.

Subs not used: Callan, Nugent.

Barnet Football Club

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Standings

Match Preview: Wealdstone (A)

Match Report: Wealdstone 5 -1 Barnet FC