SCHOLARS TEACH BEES TO PLAY TO THE FINISH!
POTTERS BAR Town had enjoyed their day in the spotlight of the BBC cameras, a club-record crowd of 2,011 and a proud performance against full-time National Leaguers Barnet.
But, as the game ticked into the 11th minute of time added on, their FA Cup story was about to continue, another twist in the Isthmian Premier outfit’s run that has been defined by late goals.
A corner was swung into the box, the ball was flicked on by James Budden before being powered towards goal by Andy Lomas’s head and into the net via Barnet defender Dan Sweeney’s despairing leg.
The ground erupted as Lee O’Leary’s Scholars lived to fight another day against their bigger neighbours from just four miles down the road. “It’s what the football is all about,” O’Leary said. “It’s the magic of the FA Cup – that, for me, is probably the best moment in my whole footballing career. Just that one moment, it almost all happened in slow motion – the goal, celebrating.
“I will remember that for a long time, it was special.”
The pair will face off again at Barnet’s Hive on Tuesday night. Boss O’Leary is flying out to Spain this morning but will break-up his holiday to return home for 24 hours as his side search for an upset.
Josh Walker had put Barnet ahead after 16 minutes and despite an unconvincing performance, they looked to have done enough to reach the first round proper even with Alfie Pavey’s second-half penalty being saved by man of the match R’avan Constable.
Worse was to follow, however, for the England C striker after an awkward looking fall in stoppage time. Bees boss Darren Currie believes Pavey has broken his leg and there was a lengthy delay before he was take off on a stretcher.
Whether the delay hampered the Barnet players it’s difficult to tell but the Scholars got their final wind and grabbed the equaliser.
“We’ve got a good group of lads,” O’Leary said. “It’s that character and never-say-die. They’ve got a lot of confidence – that is what that performance was all about.
“We’ve had stages in this season where we look back and say, ‘That was a turning point’. This is
the third one. There’s something special going on in that dressing room, there really is.
“I’m a little bit lost for words. It’s a little bit emotional, I’m just delighted for them.”
The feeling around the Pakex Stadium was more FA Cup first round proper day than the fourth qualifying round.
Walker’s opener – a turning shot from Cheye Alexander’s cross – only briefly quietened the ‘Bar Army’.
The Scholars defended well – particularly centre backs Budden and George Quarrington-Carter in front of Constable. The keeper got down well to push a Walker snap-shot around the post before Budden headed Pavey’s effort off the line.
Their best chance came through Ben Ward-Cochrane but his shot was superbly blocked by the sliding Callum Reynolds.
Barnet could have extended their lead on the hour mark when Walker was bundled over in the penalty area but Constable was equal to Pavey’s firm penalty.
He made two more good saves from Jack Taylor and Alexander to keep his side in the tie and setup the stoppage time drama.
Bees boss Currie apologised to the travelling support.
“I have to take responsibility for it,” Currie said. “We keep getting undone by set pieces. We work daily on them – clearly they’re not taking in the messages. That’s the last three games now, and probably games prior to that, where set pieces are costing us.
“My responsibility of that is I’ve made most of them feel like they’re better players than they are.
“So I have to address that because it’s either I need to look at how we’re trying to play or I have to make one or two changes because I’ve made people feel they’re better than they are.
“They’ve proved today they’re not as good as they think they are, some of them.”
While the temporary bar did good business with the supporters, O’Leary spoke of a calm among his squad ahead of their next shot – plans he will put in place from his sun lounger!
“I’ll have plenty of downtime while I’m out there in the sun so I’ll be preparing as well as I can,” O’Leary said. “I won’t speak to the boys too much.
“I’ll go out and come back Tuesday morning and go back out Wednesday – keep the wife happy!”