NL: Torquay United v Barnet 3pm 19 February 2022

Barnet have signed Stevenage defender Ross Marshall on loan Link

TUFC match preview

link - Barnet have just signed Reece Grego Cox on loan from Crawley.

Like against Wrexham, may be a good time to play them before these new players bed in…….

Weather cleared up nicely.

COYY

link - Interesting, Duke-McKenna comes in for…….. Wright

This game is, in a nutshell, why we won't make the play-offs this season.

Definitely two points dropped today. At two nil up, we were cruising, putting together some confident flicks and it was plain to see that Barnet’s heads were dropping. The game turned on an injury to Moxey where the ref allowed played to carry on for Barnet to get a goal back and then it was a struggle.

For the first few minutes it was the opposition that actually started well, getting quite a bit of possession with our only outlet being Mckenna on the right he seem to have their big left back, number six in his back pocket for most of the game, getting clear to cross the ball to create a half chance that on the first occasion came to nothing. Shortly after though their frustrated number six gave was only able to foul him as it got clear. A Little cross seemed a bit too deep but was just kept in past the far post coming out to Lewis who found CLE near the edge of the area and nicely slammed the ball home off the crossbar. About 10 minutes later the ball was passed out to Wearne on the left wing, possibly by Duke McKenna who used some lovely foot work to put Connor clear deep inside the area but his shot was well blocked by the keeper who made himself big. No matter, once again Duke McKenna got clear on the right wing a few minutes later and his cross was met by CLE to volley home and take a well-deserved two-goal lead.

Barnet at this point seemed to be at sixes and sevens but a clash saw Moxey go down hard, it was not a foul but the ref did not think it was a head injury and allow play to continue, with the ball on the right wing the ball ricocheted nicely off Martin for them giving their player all the time in the world to find another attacker to tap in. Torquay players were incensed and felt play should have been stopped and I’ve seen play stopped for a lot less. On this occasion Moxey needed extensive treatment to his nose.

Late on in the first half, Duke McKenna challenged for a ball by jumping above their number six who went down like a sack of spuds, it was a marginal foul but very harshly judged to be a yellow with their player getting a measure of pay back for the torment he had suffered but fair to say the ref was not too popular at this point.

It was always going to be a tough in the second half with the wind against us and again Barnet had a bit of luck where a loose ball was not dealt with by our defence and ricocheted kindly for them, coming out nicely for their number 11 who was able to cut inside past Wynter and smash the ball home into the top right hand corner for a well taken goal. To be fair to Barnet, they did not time waste much, apart from their keeper who got a yellow for his troubles.

Both sides could have got a winner to be fair as chances were not taken. In a frenetic last 10 minutes for us we should have scored, Little looked like he had won a penalty but the ref bottled a decision and awarded a free-kick just outside the area. The free-kick was sent just wide of the top left hand corner by Little who unfortunately did not have his shooting boots on today. In injury time, the ball came out to Duke-McKenna in the area whose shot just flew over the crossbar and a Gary time winner would have capped a man of the match performance. He seemed to tweak his hamstring doing this, while he continued could not get out of third gear for the last few minutes. I hope it is not too serious but wouldn’t be surprised to see him absent on Tuesday……

Clearly the sort of game we should win but often seem to struggle especially against our bogey sides.
Without a recognised striker or one that scores regularly I feel we would struggle in any play off scenario.
Sinclair Armstrong was likely the answer but it never happened.
Yes we can raise our game and work rate against the big guns but it's all about consistency no matter what level of the game if your ever going to achieve any meaningful success.
GJ is doing a brilliant job with the squad available and after the poor start we had any other mere mortal manager would have likely buckled before now but somehow he's found a combination that can produce the vital wins we need to keep us in with an outside shout. Promotion material I think not and just wishful thinking with still a few missing pieces to the jigsaw unfortunately.

Boreham Wood will be a big test.
Will we raise our game and match them?
Very likely as GJ is such a good motivator and will not want to see the challenge falter and fizzle out.