AKIN TO A TURNING POINT?

SIM AKINOLA wants Barnet’s midweek demolition of Ebbsfleet Untied to be the turning point for his and the team’s season.

The exciting forward struck a hattrick in a 5-2 victory which put the Bees back on track following a run of only win from their previous eight National League games.

It was also Akinola’s first start in five games but he made sure to take his opportunity and boost his goal tally to nine for the season.

“I have to try and take my chances as they come, that’s all I’m in control of,” the former Boreham Wood, Harrow Borough and Braintree Town man told The NLP. “I want to play as high as I can, like any player. I just want to do as well as I can this season and hopefully take Barnet back to the Football League.

“We’re hoping Tuesday can be a turning point for us. There’s no other feeling like scoring a goal. I’ve been finding myself out of the team in the last few weeks but hopefully this can be a turning point too.”

Akinola was blighted by injury last season having played 46 times for Barnet in the Football League after sealing a move from Braintree where he impressed under Danny Cowley.

He almost linked up with his former boss in 2017 at Lincoln City but a deadline day transfer was blocked by the EFL and the 27-year-old was forced to stay in Non-League.

“I’m no longer the new kid on the block but the truth is you get experience and use those issues to your advantage,” he said.

“Football is a team game but a lonely game in the sense it’s down to yourself, you have to manage yourself if you’re not in the team or there’s external things going on that you’re not in control of. That’s the difficult side of the game. When you are playing, it’s about enjoying it and being the best you can. “Darren [Currie, manager] loves teaching us new things, especially the wingers; he was a top winger. There’s so much I learned from him already and I know he’s going to have a great career in management. “He’s a purist in many ways, plays the game the way it should be played, possession-based. It’s beautiful to look at but at the same time it can be effective and that’s the balance we’re trying to find.”