MARVIN’S BIG DAY FOR BEES
TWO goals from birthday boy Marvin Armstrong helped Barnet battle back from going a goal behind and see off the formidable challenge of NPL Premier leaders Radcliffe.
Boro, in their first ever foray into the fourth round, took a 37th-minute lead through Anthony Dudley, only for Armstrong to level just before the break.
Both sides had efforts cleared off the line after the break but Armstrong proved the saviour of the National League high-flyers with a 66th-minute winner.
“It’s a fantastic victory for us,” Barnet boss Dean Brennan said. “A really tough plavce to come and we’ve come up against a team who are flying at the moment, their form has been amazing.
“That was a big test for us but our players stood up to that test today.
“We’ve been hit by a big injury crisis at the club right now so we put out a very young team. To come through this test is huge for us.”
A healthy crowd of just over 1,400 packed into the Neuven Stadium and watched Radcliffe take a deserved lead on 37 minutes. An excellent bit of link up play resulted in Luca Navarro playing in Dudley, who made no mistake with the finish past Josh Keeley.
But the crowd’s delight was to prove shortlived as Barnet were level just seven short minutes later – Armstrong slotting the ball between the legs of Mateusz Hewelt to put the Bees back into the cup tie.
Up until that point, Barnet had perhaps enjoyed more of the ball with Zak Brunt’s powerful effort, met by Hewelt, perhaps the best of chance that Brennan’s men created.
Two divisions separated the sides but a neutral would hardly have known as Radcliffe went toe-to-toe with their higher-ranked visitors.
The second half was just as free flowing as the first but it was Barnet who made the next breakthrough, on 66 minutes when a low ball across the box found Armstrong and it was impossible to miss from six yards out.
Both sides then saw efforts cleared desperately off the line. First, Jude Oyibo’s fizzed shot to the far post was hacked clear at the back post, before Callum Stead rounded Hewelt at the other end, only for centre-back Olly Thornley to come from nowhere to clear the danger.
Even in defeat, the Radcliffe fans will be proud of their club’s historic and memorable Trophy run as they applauded their players off the pitch.
Boro boss Bernard Morley said: “It’s always disappointing losing any game of football but we were outstanding today in every department. Everything about today was good.
“Losing any game hurts, we’ve just got to bounce back now.”
Morley’s co-boss Anthony Johnson added: “[Barnet] clearly respected us and the way their manager spoke about the performance levels of our players and everyone involved was very respectful.
“He wouldn’t risk losing x, y and z if he didn’t know this was a tough place to come. Whatever strength side he put out, it was never going to be easy for them and they know they’ve been in a game of football.”