League Two: Barnet FC v AFC Wimbledon
View attachment 414295It took our bus driver under an hour to navigate to The Hive stadium where Barnet FC play in the burrough of Harrow.
The facilities are new. All of us always appreciate.
I decided to go with the same back four as last match. Hey, we shut out Torquay so why change? Also, Adam Pepper did something to his thigh and is out maybe two weeks.
GK: Chris Dunn
D: Reuben Hazell, Kris Thackray, Andy Frampton (C), James Fenlon
M: George Francomb, Mark Tomlinson, Daniel Barlaser, Matteo Nole
F: James Loveridge, Michael Smith
Subs: Daniel Lincoln (GK), Cameron Dummigan (D), Steven Gregory (M), Harry Pell (M), Simon Johnson (M), Jack Midson (F), Jack Redshaw (F)
"Let's keep on doing all the good things we did last week against Torquay," I said to start my pre-game talk. "Fens, watch their right midfielder. He's probably their best player. I have faith that you guys in the defense can shut them down. Lil says they're going to play a 4411. Let's give their forward and their man-in-the-hole the special sauce."
"I want you guys to hang back, don't overcommit on offense," I continued. "We'll hit them on the counter. Let them fall apart. Don't give them any chances. The stats say that they're more vulnerable in the second half, we'll hit them hard then. Okay?"
The game began with Barnet right midfielder George Porter getting Fenlon twisting this way and that before whipping in a dangerous cross. Frampton headed the ball clear but right to their attacking midfielder Tom Hopper. Hopper volleyed just wide of Dunn's left post. I'm pretty sure that Dunn had it covered.
In the 4th minute, Haz played a pass up the line to Francomb. George played a give-n-go with Barlaser and then passed up to Smith. Smith turned his defender and raced goalwards. The keeper charged out and Smith tried to chip him. The ball landed on top of the netting.
In the 12th minute, Barlaser played a pass up to Loveridge. Bee's center back Maxime Blanchard scissor-tackled Loveridge taking ball and man.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" I screamed at the ref. "FOUL! FOUL! FOUL!"
I then walked over and had a useless conversation with the fourth official about what constitutes illegal tackles.
Out of the corner of my eye and saw Tomlinson crunch into a Barnet player, get away with it and play a ball back to Haz. Haz passed up the line to Francomb. George played a ball into Smith at the top of the box.
With his back to goal, Smith spun his defender took a couple of touches and blasted a ball into the side netting.
0-1
In the 24th minute, Danny played a ball up to Loveridge. James spun and charged at his defender, beat him and inexplicably then played a ball 20 yards back and to the right to Tomlinson. I realized I was standing there with my palms out asking why he'd done that. Tomlinson played a pass up to Smith who held up the ball and reviewed his options. To the left he had Loveridge moving into a gap between the two central defenders. His defender was tight on his back (which was a mistake last time).
He decided to roll the ball into Loverboy's path. Lovey got absolutey everything he had behind the shot. While he hit it right at the keeper, the keeper would need to raise his hands to block the shot. He only had time to get a fingertip up but was only able to redirect the shot into the underside of the crossbar.
0-2
The crossbar vibrated for quite a while.
Barnet and their fans were clearly demoralized. The Wimbledon fans behind the net where we just scored for a second time started singing:
"Loveridge every minute of it" a slight twist on the Loverboy song from the 80s. Apparently, supporters had made runs on Loverboy songs lately.
Eventually, the Bees got their act together and got the ball up the left flank to Peter Murphy (no, not the singer). Francomb had Haz supporting him yet Murphy beat them both. Thankfully, he couldn't beat Thacks, Andy and Dunn. Dunn made himself large and blocked the shot out for a corner.
Murphy then hoofed the ball over everyone's heads for a throw in on the far side.
Within a few minutes, the game was over for all intents and purposes.
Francomb intercepted a poorly played pass and zipped a pass up to Loveridge. Smith took off running and Loveridge fed a pass to him. Smith took it in stride, saw the keeper advancing and tried another chip.
The ball floated over the stranded keeper and hung there, slowly dropping earthward. It looked like it was heading right at the keeper's right post. It nicked off the inside of the post just below the crossbar and the match was over.
0-3
Our fans began singing
"We Got Smithy, You are Sh*tty, let's call the whole thing off." The Barnet fans were silent.
Barnet eventually regrouped and got the ball into our half. Porter crossed and Andy headed clear yet again. Their left back headed the ball across the top of the box to the right-sided central midfielder. He chipped a pass out wide to Murphy. Murphy headed backward and away from our goal to the other central midfiedler. This midfielder one-timed a pass back to Murphy. Haz was, of course, ball-watching. Murphy one-touched a pass to the left back Martin John who had run into the box unmarked.
He hit a low near post shot that Dunn should have blocked but failed to.
1-3
Barnet players ran in and grabbed the ball like this was their lifeline back into the match. Better ****ing not be, I thought to myself. But that was nice movement of the ball, I also thought to myself. Barnet supporters tried to encourage their side.
Smith nearly scored again with 5 minutes to go before halftime.
In the 44th minute, Danny played a ball up to Loveridge. He spun and raced at the defense. Smith was waiting out right for a pass into the right channel. Blanchard stepped up and performed another scissor-tackle. I'm not sure he got any of the ball, but Loveridge lay writhing on the pitch.
"WHAT WAS THAT! WHAT WAS THAT!" I screamed at the ref. "THAT SHOULD BE A RED CARD! RED CARD! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T PROTECT PLAYERS FROM DIRTY PLAY!"
"That was a clean tackle," Bees manager Colin Lee yelled at me.
"Yeah and you're probably think you're going to win League Two, too," I shot back. "That was straight out of the 1980s."
"Were you even ****ing alive then?" Lee asked.
The fourth official stepped in front of me and I felt hands grab me from behind. My staff were dragging me back to the bench.
"BUNCH OF ****ING HACKS!" I screamed at Lee.
"Shut the **** up before you get tossed," Hanks said to me as Rachhubka and Hanks forcibly sat me down on the bench.
Hanks had already gotten Midson and Redshaw warming up. When Whitney signaled for the switch, I pointed at Redshaw.
"Relax, man," I said to him as he got ready to come on. "Just come deep to get the ball and run at their D. They're slow. I have faith you'll be back on your game in no time."
"Ankle," Whitney said as Loveridge was stretchered past me and straight into the locker room. I could tell from the look on their faces that this was serious.
Fkn A but this would be a huge loss if this was serious.
"Great job out there," I said to begin my halftime talk. "Keep it up. They are going to want to keep the ball and pass it around. They're going to be hoping it will give them some confidence. Let them. Let's just park the bus when they want to do that. Let them pass the ball back and fourth 30 yards out. I couldn't give a **** if they wanted to do that all day."
"When we get the ball, make sure we keep it a while and give the D a chance to catch their breathes," I continued. "You all have done great in the back, but I believe you all can do better in the second half. Keep talking and stay organized and stay compact."
The second half was dull compared to the first. They put Murphy back in central defense to try and stop Smith. His replacement out left was nowhere near as dangerous. Porter was their only dangerman and they only created one decent chance from one of his crosses that clipped the bar.
View attachment 414265Dunn didn't make a save in the second half.
It was dull enough that I checked my iPhone periodically for results. Scunthorpe were losing as were York and both were down by two. Southend were tied. If these results stood, we'd be in first.
"Congrats!" I said walking into the dressing room after talking to the press. "My phone tells me that we're top."
The players cheer.
"How's his ankle, Whits?" I asked.
"We'll see tomorrow morning," Whitney replied.
"I heard it pop, Don," Loveridge replied. "I'll be fine."
Whitney just shrugged.
"Great game management, great commitment, solid concentration, I'm very pleased by how you all played today," I said.
