COLE ON FIRE TO DENY THE SHOTS
Stopper blocks out Bees
BARNET somehow failed to record a victory on their return to the National League, but John Still remained philosophical after seeing his side dominate the closing stages.
The Bees twice hit the crossbar and struck the post when the goal was gaping.
Several times the Shots were left scrambling for their lives in an enthralling final quarter which saw everything but the deadlock broken. Barnet boss Still told The
NLP: “I thought in the first half we were good, but in the second half we were outstanding and we deserved to win.
“Our movement and organisation out of possession was first class. I could say I’m disappointed not to win but when you take something away from home against a good side, you’re not disappointed.
“There wasn’t a bad performance in my team. The way we’ve approached the game, and how we’ve tried to attack, I’m delighted. You look for fitness and organisation in pre-season but I also saw a lot of quality and great energy.”
Aldershot perhaps shaded a tight first half but somewhat flattered to deceive with a lively display which yielded just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.
Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Shamir Fenelon made impressive headway down the flanks but James Rowe’s 25yard curling shot, an easy claim for Bees’ keeper Mark Cousins, was the sum total of their efforts before the break.
In contrast, Medy Elito shot wide from distance and Byron Harrison headed wastefully past the post for Barnet.
On 30 minutes, Dan Sparkes hit the underside of the Aldershot crossbar with a driven 22-yard free-kick before the ball bounced back out into play and, under pressure from Rowe, Charlee Adams blazed the rebound over.
Barnet’s solid defensive line continued to successfully stifle the dynamic Shots’ attack and, just when it appeared that the game was set to drift to its inevitable conclusion, steadily, the Bees took control.
Craig Robson’s header was deflected wide off George Fowler, and Cole then flung himself to superbly to parry Harrison’s own headed effort minutes later.
Sparkes’ set-piece deliveries threatened to overwhelm the hosts as Barnet forced a flurry of corners and on 75 minutes, Shaq Coulthirst’s looping backwards header beat Cole only to bounce off the bar.
Fowler then won an aerial challenge in the Barnet box which saw the ball cleared off the line, and McDonnell flashed an angled shot inches wide, but Barnet had long since stolen all of the momentum.
Fowler and Cole combined to keep out Coulthirst and fellow substitute Ephron Mason-Clark with some desperate defending.
Lewis Kinsella then cleared Robson’s header with Cole beaten and, in stoppage time, Harrison saw his shot blocked before Coulthirst struck the base of the post when apparently faced with a simple chance to snatch a hard-earned victory.
“That was most definitely a point won,” admitted a relieved Shots manager Gary Waddock.
“We didn’t play anywhere near how we wanted to in the second half but it’s a new group coming together and we may have to be more patient.
“If any team were going to go on and win it, it was Barnet. We’re up and running with a point and a clean sheet but God knows how!”
STAR MAN: Jake Cole (Aldershot Town) ATT: 2,409 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★☆☆ REFEREE: Sam Perkiss