Northwich spoil the party

9:41pm Saturday 2nd April 2005

Northwich Victoria 2 Barnet 0 . . .

Put the champagne back on ice.

Lowly Northwich wrecked the promotion party at Wincham Park this afternoon with a determined performance in front of a crowd made up almost entirely of Barnet fans.

The visiting supporters brought along inflatable champagne bottles and orange balloons, but the Bees will have to wait to guarantee their place back in the Football League.

Two goals from Paul Brayson gave the Vics three deserved points, Paul Fairclough's troops failing to live up to expectations and excellent recent performances.

Barnet were far from their best and resorted to hopeful punts rather than looking for Richard Graham down the wings. The bobbly pitch made good football difficult, but the Bees can have no excuses for also being outfought by the part-timers for much of this game.

Neither side created much of note in a dull opening 45 minutes. Giuliano Grazioli put a diving header straight at keeper Kristian Rodgers and then headed a Simon Clist free-kick wide at the near post. In between, Dean Sinclair also saw Rodgers hold his instant shot after being put through by Ben Strevens.

Northwich had also struggled to create good openings, so it came as something of a surprise when they took the lead six minutes after the interval.

Danny Mayman swung over a free-kick and Brayson rose unchallenged to head past Scott Tynan.

Now Barnet had to raise their game and they did, but it was to no avail. Nicky Bailey fired over a volley from 25 yards and Liam Hatch headed a Graham corner wide at the far post two minutes later.

Barnet's best effort came from Hatch with 20 minutes to go. An Ian Hendon ball over the top set the striker free down the left. He cut inside and drilled in a low shot that Rodgers did well to turn behind for a corner.

But disaster struck on 72 minutes. Ismail Yakubu hit an awful back pass to Tynan that fell well short. Jonny Allen intercepted it and laid the ball into the path of Brayson who kept his composure to fire past the keeper.

Yakubu tried to make amends at the other end with a couple of headers, but it was the Vics who came closest to another goal. Allan missed the ball with an attempted diving header with the goal gaping and Brayson was only denied by the bar in the final minute, his delightful chip leaving Tynan rooted to the spot.

BARNET (4-4-2): Tynan; Hendon, King, Yakubu, Clist (Roache 70), Strevens, Bailey, Sinclair, Graham (Batt 84); Grazioli, Hatch (Lee 70). Subs not used: Gore, Charles.

Attendance: 1,552.

Best Bee: Ian Hendon.

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