ITS HAMMERTIME FOR RELIANT ROBIN

FCBFCSA VETERAN STARS AS BARNET BEAT WEST HAM

The day started well for the Bees, with a mention on the Dean Martin Capital Gold Breakfast show, confirming that the game was on, despite heavy overnight rainfall in the East End.

Barnet were down to the bare bones for the trip to Leytonstone. Without their first choice, and cover left backs, Adam Martin, and Jamie Loveday, Barnet were rocked when Matt Dodimead, and Stuart Cheek, were unavoidably detained by work commitments, the night before, and morning of the match. This lead to an unanswered SOS for left sided players on the official messageboard.

On arrival at Harrow Road Leytonstone, the pitches were in good order. It was real old school Hackney Marshes with communal changing rooms, that could probably tell a few tales of years gone by. The first priority was to sort out a starting line up, from the twelve available at kick off time. This included Tommy Salinger, drafted in at the last minute.

Some players were already warming up, and thought they were playing in other positions, before the last minute rejig, totally restructured the team. The manager had to take a breather, and write it down on a piece of paper before it was announced.

The manager settled on the following line up ;

GK David Kirkby

RB John Carp (Switched from Centre Back)

LB Ross Clark (Switched from Right Back in brand new orange borrowed boots a size too small)

CB Ollie Minton

CB Gerry Currell (Switched from Centre Midfield)

RM Joel Ramos (drafted in from the youths, from sub , to left mid)

CM Silvio Gradoni

CM Craig Clayton (moved from centre forward)

LM Ryan Barney (switched from keeper to right mid )

CF Tony Fenton

CF  Robin Goldman

Sub, lino and resident wit and raconteur Tommy Salinger.

The team showed great togetherness and dug in deep to win the game. The West Ham boys commented how professional Barnet looked warming up together. This was the idea of the real brains behind the team Andy Cosier, assistant manager. Tony Fenton, led the team in a bonding session of British Bulldog beforehand, which knackered out half the side.

Warmed up properly Barnet were firing from the off and raced into a three goal lead midway through the first half. First Ryan Barney, finished well from a neat bit of build up involving an elaborate flick from Silvio Gradoni.

Second Ross Clark scored direct from a corner, a speciality of the manager in his university days, whose boots he was wearing !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goldman creates havoc in the box as Clark's corner goes straight in.

Third , was a cute finish from Tony Fenton. The ball seemed to take an eternity to cross the line, and looked to be going wide, when suddenly it veered in. Wonderland.

Ryan Barney, linking up with Ross hit a fourth, and despite a couple of scares Barnet dominated the first half, playing total football which would not have looked out of place in Holland. In fact in their orange shirt, one could be forgiven for thinking Van Basten was playing left wing. There was something of the Ruud Gullit, about the way Goldman led the line.

 Second half West Ham unashamedly, played their jokers. Two African lads, who asked if Barnet were West Ham before the game.Missed a trick there. The West Ham lads on the touchline were joking that they would be deducted points from the IFA as well if they were caught.

They added pace to their attack, but words of wisdom from Howard Minton and Andy Cosier on the touchline, allowed the management to warn the team of this threat and respond. After getting through the critical first ten minutes of the second half thanks to some resolute defending from the team, and Captain Marvel Gerry Currell in particular, and confident solid confidence inspiring keeping from Safe Hands Kirkby. West Ham rallied, and looked much better second half, and pulled one back roughly on the hour mark, when the Bees cries for an offside were not accepted by the referee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clayton rallies the defence.

They narrowed the margin further when Gradoni was alleged to have handled, and they calmly slotted away the pen.

As the great Rocky Balboa once said "It ain't over till its over."

Clark came to the rescue to head off the line a goal bound shot. Had the score went to 4-3, Barnet might have struggled to contain West Ham.

At this point young Joel Ramos , at only 15, a product of the BFCYSA youth academy, recommended by Iain Dalziel, - conceding 21 years to veteran Robin Goldman, 36 - came into his own and linked up well with Tony Fenton to stretch the game out. As the last minute was signalled it was time for loyal Tom Salinger to make a camoe appearance and see us over the winning line. 

A neat touch set the ball in motion for the move that saw Fenton see a shot handled outside the area by their goal keeper, and from a quick free kick an outfield player on the line. Before the game Fenton was nominated for penalty duty should the opportunity arise, and let Barney have the glory for a well taken shot. Gamekeeper turned poacher slotted in his third of the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hat trick hero Ryan Barney

Everyone played well and it was difficult to pick a man of the match.

The West Ham subs decided, and settled for Tony Fenton. The Barnet squad were fullsome in their praise for hat trick hero Ryan Barney, Gerry Currell, and debutant Joel Ramos. Special and well deserved praise and gratitude to veteran Robin Goldman, who held the ball up well , knocked it off nicely, came close to scoring in his longest appearance for the Bees. Also to Craig Clayton, and Silvio Gradoni for their selfless workrate in midfield . Grads nursing a dead leg in the second half.

Bizarely we were pulled up 5 times for foul throws.The ref was correct every time, so room for improvement next.

The Barnet Manager John Hunt commented after the game

"I am a lucky manager. I have stumbled across a winning team, one which will be hard to change. Thanks for a great day lads. To Andy, Grads, Gerry, Howard Minton, and Tony for providing the transport, and the team for being so adaptable , and putting in a sterling performance, to Gary and West Ham, for such a sporting game. More of the same next time please. Nice lads, the Hammers team and we look forward to hosting them in the future."

The West Ham Manager Gary Davidson commented ;

"Thanks to John for bringing his Barnet team over to East London on Saturday. They were really up for it and arrived well in advance of our own players and like wise in the match, were quicker out of the traps, taking a three goal lead and effectively killing the game before we'd even woke up. In many ways a carbon copy of Watford's win here a couple of weeks ago. Barnet are a good bunch of lads and we'll definitely give them a return fixture next season."

Team Photo courtesy of Howard Minton ;

Cosier, Goldman, Kirkby, Gradoni, Currell, Minton, Barney,Clayton,Fenton,Hunt

                Ramos       Salinger               Clark               Carp