Beaten Bees lack discipline

6:59pm Saturday 15th October 2005

Barnet 1 Chester City 3 . . .

Barnet manager Paul Fairclough admitted the Bees were beaten by a better team' at Underhill this afternoon and called on his players to learn from their opponents.

Fairclough said: "Chester are what we are striving to be at this level.

"I told my players that we would be playing the best team in the league today. That was demonstrated on the pitch. Chester were very disciplined, very organised and very functional."

He added that his own players were lacking in discipline.

"I'm talking about sticking to the plan and doing the right things consistently over 90 minutes.

"I've got talent and ability here, but not overall discipline in the squad to make the team a functional unit.

"We lost because we played against a side that were better than us as a team."

Indeed, Barnet created most of the chances and Chester keeper Chris Mackenzie was the busier of the two number ones, but the visitors were more ruthless where it mattered.

Both sides ended with ten men in what was an eventful match. Anthony Charles was the Barnet player to see red for two bookable offences on 65 minutes. Fairclough said the defender apologised to his team-mates after the game, but the Bees boss added Charles could have no complaints.

Fairclough also said he came close to taking another one of his players off in the closing stages, even though he had used all of his subs, for fear they too would see red. He did not name the player.

Barnet started the game brightly and Dean Sinclair forced Mackenzie into making a good save on eight minutes.

But it was City who struck first some five minutes later. Ross Flitney had tipped over a Marcus Richardson shot and, from the resultant corner, Michael Branch fired in the opener after the Bees failed to clear. Charles almost prevented the ball from crossing the line, but the ref judged it to be over and there were no complaints.

Damian Batt saw a shot flash across the face of the goal at the other end and Liam Hatch headed just wide as Barnet sought to get back on terms.

They were aided by the dismissal of Stuart Drummond on 37 minutes, the defender receiving his marching orders for his part in an ugly melee involving almost every outfield player.

Barnet had several chances to equalise in the final minutes of the first half. Ben Strevens drove wide from a Richard Graham pull-back when he should have at least hit the target and Giuliano Grazioli was unlucky to see a spectacular volley clip the bar.

But the killer second goal came at the other end on the stroke of half-time, a Ryan Lowe shot coming off Batt to leave Flitney with little chance.

Barnet continued to create most of the chances after the interval. Adam Gross saw Mackenzie tip over a looping header before Charles left Thomas Curtis in the advertising hoardings after a cynical challenge. The defender had to go and five minutes later, a superb Branch ball freed Curtis and he drilled past Flitney to seal the points.

Barnet finally gained a consolation on 78 minutes. Ian Hendon floated over a cross that Hatch headed over Mackenzie, and Grazioli slid in at the back post to net from close range.

BARNET (4-4-2): Flitney; Batt, Hendon, Charles, Gross (King 74); Strevens (Norville 63), bailey, Sinclair, Graham (Lee 63); Grazioli, Hatch. Subs not used: Tynan, Soares.

Attendance: 2,206.

Best Bee: Dean Sinclair.

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