Concord Rangers 0-0 Barnet

FA Trophy First Round

From the Aspect Arena

 

TEN-man Concord Rangers will do battle with Barnet once again after they drew 0-0 at the Aspect Arena.

Both sides missed several clear-cut chances each but Concord did superbly to take Barnet all the way, with Danny Glozier given his marching orders five minutes into the second half.

Concord came into the match looking to write another chapter in their remarkable recent history, by qualifying for the second round of the competition for the first time.

And the game started at a fast pace, and three goals should have been scored inside the opening ten minutes.

After had Keanu Marsh-Brown had struck over from a free-kick for the Conference Premier leaders, Steve Cawley was presented with the first real opportunity.

Breaking through, he picked up a through ball and, although his shot beat Sam Cowler, it didn’t beat the woodwork, crashing off the crossbar and bouncing over.

Barnet responded quickly. Some hesitant defending from Jeremy Walker, saw Bernard Mensah bear down on goal but, as Josh Vickers came out, he shot wide of the near post.

Moments later, Jack Lampe was beaten in the area by Marsh-Brown with Charlie Macdonald onto the loose ball in a flash. But he too could only fire across Vickers and inches past the far post.

After that frenetic opening, the game died down momentarily, although the speedster Luke Gambit looked a threat down the left flank.

Cawley was looking the biggest threat for the hosts and he had two headed chances that missed the target, the second of which was taken away from him by a vital touch of the head of Barnet defender Jack Saville.

There was still time for Gambin to shoot over before the break but, judging by away manager Martin Allen’s reaction he expected much more from his side.

And Barnet had a great chance to make a difference early on in the half. Mensah, breaking down the left and charging towards the penalty area, was chopped down by Glozier and he was given his marching orders.

The Bees sensed their chance but a defensive shuffle from Danny Cowley saw Lewis Taaffe introduced and he had a golden chance to open the scoring with an hour on the clock.

Played through deftly by Cawley, the substitute bore down on goal but could only sidefoot wide when clean through.

Barnet weren’t capitalising on their man advantage, with captain Jack Saville coming close when he failed to get on the end of a cross across the face of goal.

Substitute Matt Stevens also shot wide for the visitors when well placed, after the referee had contentiously not awarded Concrd a freekick after James White appeared to be caught.

Steve King had a half-chance in the dying embers but it will be a replay on Tuesday night to decide who progresses.

 

Concord Rangers: Vickers, Walker, Glozier, Woodyard, King, White, Lampe (Fry), Gardner, Cawley (Pinnock), White, Stokes (Taaffe), Collins

Barnet: Cowler, Vichete, Saville, Gater, Muggleton (Stevens), Hunt, Taylor (Kennedy), Gambin, Marsh-Brown, Mensah, Macdonald (Akinde)

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Canvey Island 2-1 Peacehaven & Telscombe

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