By Nathan Jackson
February 15 2006

For the 3rd time in 4 games, Gary Birch came off the bench to change a game in the Imps favour as the Imps beat Barnet 3-2. Strevens and Kandol had given Barnet a 2 goal lead before McCombe, Birch and Brown sealed an unlikely comeback and the playoffs move ever nearer as the Imps lay 8th.

Barnet started the game against the Imps and immediately went on the attack, however it took until the 3^rd minute until they won the game’s first corner. However, the long high ball into the box was easily dealt with by the Imps defence but it was fair from a confident start by an Imps side who were shooting up the famous Barnet slope.

 

City had the games’ first decent chance when Colin Cryan proved calm when under pressure from Strevens before playing a ball to Gritton who flicked the ball through to Yeo, however, the popular striker hit his shot straight at Flitney and the goalkeeper who was famously sent off at Old Trafford earlier in the season, was to have a busy half as the Imps constantly shot straight at him.

 

The hosts were having the better of the opening exchanges but much like Torquay on Saturday, couldn’t make their control of the game count as they squandered several opportunities to take a lead. Nat Brown almost handed the lead but his goalbound hear was cleared. Yeo put Gritton through and the former Grimsby man had a simple 1 on 1 with Flitney, however, Gritton couldn’t decide what to do and by the time he had made his mind up, Flitney was at his feet smothering the ball.

 

The continued in pretty much the same way but Barnet did finally manage to get a shot in on the 21^st minute when a typical Barnet hoof saw Grazioli break free of City’s defence (surprise surprise) but the former Bristol Rovers man saw his shot saved by Marriott, however the impressive Strevens was following up and made the simple tap into the net to give Barnet a 1-0 victory.

 

Yeo’s game effectively ended soon after the goal as a very brutal Barnet side again tried to cause as many injuries as possible when one of them tackled the striker from behind. Yeo received several minutes’ treatment before hobbling back onto the pitch. Within 30 seconds, his own team-mate, Jeff Hughes, accidentally pushed him into the advertising boards.

 

There was a big of nostalgia back to the 2002/3 season when Yeo missed an open goal from 6 yards out. Gritton played Green through to Flitney, the shot was parried by Flitney and fell to Yeo whose shot went well wide despite having his easiest chance since returning to the Imps.

 

Barnet were still controlling most of the action and whenever the Imps did manage to get the ball, near enough every single time, the ball was given straight back to a Barnet player. However, the Imps did almost find an equaliser when Flitney again parried a shot and then recovered in time to save the goalbound Gritton header.

 

With the game heading towards half time, Barnet almost scored a magnificent second. As Nick Bailey saw Marriott off his line from 40 yards and sending a shot goalwards that only a superb Alan Marriott save, prevented what would have been one of the best goals seen in an Imps game this season.

 

City kicked off the second half and almost immediately gave the ball to Barnet and only a last ditch Colin Cryan tackle prevented Strevens from being further behind. Yeo fell over and the Imps were awarded a free kick. Steve Robinson stepped up but Flitney was able to just watch the ball curl around the post.

 

It turned into another midfield battle that Barnet were comfortably winning and just as in the first half, whenever the Imps did manage to get the ball, they gave it straight back to the Barnet players and just after the hour mark, Barnet scored again when another hoof found Tresor Kandol and the former Darlington man lobbed over Marriott to make it 2-0 to the home side. However, the ironic thing about Kandol scoring is that he played and scored in the recent home game against Darlington in which the visiting side came back from 2 goals down to get something.

 

It took less than 2 minutes for the Imps to respond though. After yet another pathetic corner, the ball found it’s way back out to Scott Kerr. The midfield sent in a deep cross that swerved wickedly in the air and Flitney couldn’t collect comfortably and fumbled the ball into the line of Jamie McCombe and the defender scored his first goal since the home win over Barnet exactly a month before. Game on.

 

Grazioli almost made it 3 goals in 3 league appearances against City when he broke through of the Imps defence, however, he could only hit his shot over the bar. Gary Birch then replaced Martin Gritton and just like in recent weeks, Birch’s introduction changed the game in City’s favour.

 

The ball found it’s way to Flitney, however, his clearance went straight to Birch and the striker ran towards goal and produced a fine finish from the edge of the box to get into double figures for the first time in his career and it sent the 400 visiting supporters into delirium as it was the first time in the league that the Imps had come from 2 goals down since the game against Northampton at Sincil Bank last season, a game that the Imps won 3-2.

 

The game slowed down again and Barnet’s negative tactics had cost them and the confidence was clearly gone from the Bees, however, they were still creating a few openings for themselves, however, none of which troubled the Imps goalkeeper, Alan Marriott.

 

City won a free kick about 25 yards out when Barry Fuller fouled Kerr. Nat Brown stepped up and smashed the ball goalwards and it was deflected wide (apparently) and City had a corner. Whilst we’re on the subject of corners, where the hell did we get this reputation that we’re dangerous from set pieces? Obviously the people who have given up this tag haven’t bothered watching any of our set pieces.

 

Yeo wasted yet another opportunity when Kerr’s free kick found it’s way to Yeo, however, Yeo tried to shoot too quickly and ended up completely screwing the shot up and firing wide. Kandol was booked for the hosts before both sides made changes as Frecklington replaced Robinson for the visitors.

It looked as thought the game was going to go on to be a draw, however, when Nat Brown is near a ball that is 25 yards out, you know that something is going to happen and after a weak clearance by a Barnet defender fell to the feet of the former Huddersfield man and Brown produced another clinical finish as he drove the shot past Flitney and into the bottom corner.

 

However, added on time was far from a run in the past as Dwane Lee swung in a free kick and after a few seconds, the ball was cleared and the Imps held on for a rather unexpected victory.