Gillespie 6
Atkinson 6
Ellis 6
Raynes 6
Grainger 7
Hope 7
Joyce 6
Hery 8
Kennedy 6
Wyke 7
Ibehre 6
subs:
Gilliead 6
Asamoah and Sweeney, not on long enough
Match: 7 - I think most of us enjoyed it even if the surface was difficult and it definitely felt like two dropped points by the final whistle. A strange game in the sense that defensive slips courtesy of Ellis and Raynes and a couple of decent crosses from their best player by a mile (Gambin) meant the home team's best chances were to be fair every bit as good as ours. Just like Wyke and Ibehre, any sense of composure in front of goal seemed to disappear and neither keeper was seriously tested. In the shape of the lanky Shaun Batt leading the line, the Bees gave us the pleasure of gifting one of the most comically inept performances ever seen in professional football. It would be fair to say that after a fairly even first half Carlisle dominated the second when Barnet were left to rare breakaways. I was a little worried about us carrying Hope and Hery considering their lack of pitch time recently but both did well for me overall, Hery lively and barely putting a foot wrong and Hope producing some fine skills (what a take down!) and a mean turn of pace on occasion. OK he lost a few more physical challenges for my liking then he had the right to but that can be worked on. Jabo's still a little short of match sharpness but put himself about and linked well with the rest of team. With a bit more luck with the run of the ball in their box, some better decision in the last third of the pitch and finding the aforementioned missing composure, we could have strolled this on another day.
Ground: 6 - Easy enough to street park 10 minutes' walk from the ground and even with a bit of traffic heading back towards Edgware and the A1 at the end of the game, back home before 6pm. A helpful steward had spotted the lad's Carlisle shirt and pointed us in the right direction to get tickets when we arrived. No problems from an away end point of view with a sizeable chunk of the main stand given to the Blue Army with the away fans away to the right and not too dissimilar to Brisbane Road, Orient. Decent views from the top and had a good time with the rest of the 'stand orchestra' banging on the structure from the back row.
Fans/Atmosphere: 8 - Terrific away following, expected 250 at most after all the travelling that's been made lately so to see well over 500...wow. A good number got behind the team from the first whistle to the last, all we needed was that one goal and the roof would have come off.
Referee: 2 - A mate of Martin Allen? Must have given 9 out of every 10 of the 50/50s in favour of Barnet. Knew it was going to be one of those days after Joyce was booked early doors for a perfectly good challenge. I had to laugh at one point when Wyke, jumping to win a chipped ball, had two outstretched hands clearly planted firmly in his back only for the officials to yet again turn a blind eye.
