BRENNAN BEAMS AT BEES SPIRIT
BELEAGUERED Barnet bounced back from a week which manager Dean Brennan described as “one of the toughest I’ve ever had in football” with an emphatic win which he dedicated to absent captain Jamie Turley.
Without a victory in six games and still shorn of their suspended skipper due to the ongoing investigation into last weekend’s alleged racist comments made during the defeat to Stockport, the Bees were superior in every department and thoroughly deserved the points.
“That was for our captain,” stressed Brennan. “Our firsthalf performance deserved more goals but before the game I’d have snapped your hands off for this result. We got after them, played on the front foot and played with a lot of width.
“We’ve got a lot of really good characters and loads of leaders in the dressing room, and the boys stepped up,” he highlighted. “Our workrate was good again and after the week we’ve had we have to really enjoy this victory.”
The visitors raced into a decisive twogoal lead as an abject Aldershot, according to boss Mark Molesley, “sleep-walked” through the opening period. In just the fifth minute, Rob Hall capitalised upon a strong start with a low, driven cross-shot which snuck in at the far-post, possibly via a flick from Adam Marriott.
Sam Beard and Sam Woods could have headed further goals but when Reiss Greenidge’s superb rightwing cross was volleyed in from a tight angle beyond the far-post by Beard, the result already appeared settled.
Molesley made two early changes in a desperate but ultimately vain attempt to breath life into his side but Barnet continued to dominate with ease. Mitch Walker parried Hall’s 25-yard drive before the break and, even though the hosts switched to a back four at the restart, the crucial next goal still went to the visitors.
Wes Fonguck’s aggression won the ball in midfield and, with the Shots still appealing for a foul, his pass invited Marriott to fire an angled 15yard drive into the far corner.
Finally, Aldershot mustered a shot on goal in the 61st minute, as Tommy Willard’s fizzing effort faded just wide. Soon Harrison Panayiotou stabbed a shot which hit the crossbar and Mo Sylla’s drive brought Aston Oxborough’s only save of the match.
“We were weak out of possession and toothless in possession,” admitted Molesley. “That was one of our worst performances, a real kick in the teeth, and we’re going to have to learn lessons quickly.”
The industrious Willard was the only Aldershot player to emerge with any credit but his fine 20-yard curler, which flew into the far corner in stoppage time, was far too little too late.
STAR MAN: Rob Hall (Barnet) ATT: 1,887 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Lloyd Wood