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A LOOK BACK - 2003-2004 - Part 6 - April & The Playoffs
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Tensions mount as the Playoff race reaches its conclusion
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By:
Max Bygraves
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15/07/2022
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This article has been viewed 748 times.
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APRIL
The new month began in the same vein as the last ended.
Mid table Scarborough were the visitors for what was one of the most drab affairs of the whole campaign. A 0-0 draw of the very lowest quality. There didn’t seem to be much of a new manager (although it’s now just come back to me that his official title was “football adviser") bounce. Having been in the mix all season, it felt like late fall out of the playoff picture was inevitable. 
Look at the pain in their eyes after witnessing that
The last thing we needed in current form was a tough away game. As it was, it was a visit to a ground we’d never won at against a Hereford United side very much still going for the title. Them and Chester City had pulled away from the pack now and would finish on 91 and 92 points, with 3rd place only registering 74 in comparison*. The Bulls were in relentless form, having recently won 0-9 away at Dagenham & Redbridge.
236 of us made the trip to the Welsh borders. The game had fallen at the right time for me, mid school holidays and visiting family in South Wales, a short train journey from Newport rather than a slog from London was handy, given expectations.
Barnet started the game brightly and held their own for much of the first half. However, Hereford went in front on 36 minutes and led 1-0 at the break.
Goals were becoming a problem in the post-Allen era but we found ourselves presented with a golden opportunity for one on the hour mark.
Strevens was hauled down in the box and despite wild protests, a penalty was awarded. Ian Hendon stepped up. Collective Barnet breath was held. This could be a huge moment in the season.
Saved. 
Pain
Matt Baker in the Hereford goal (never forgotten that name for that moment) went the right way and palmed the effort away. Without a major analysis and deep dive into my personal reactions to every missed penalty I’ve ever seen, I’m going to say that is the most gut wrenching (in game, anyway) penalty miss of all time. It felt like in that moment all remaining hope for what had been such a great year had gone. Things were going from bad to worse. Disaster.
That misery was really compounded just seven minutes later when in similarly disputed circumstances, the Bulls were awarded a spot kick. Their skipper made no mistake and the game was won.
This had been Barnet’s best performance for several weeks but they left Edgar Street empty handed and now on an eight game winless run. The wheels had well and truly come off.
*In the event, Chester would pip them to the title on the final day. Hereford lost to Aldershot in the play off semi finals, despite their 21 point superiority in the league. The following season they were pretty average but did finally get back in to the league via the play offs in 2006. Chester’s stay in the league was relatively brief. Relegated back to the Conference in 2009. Hereford dropped back down in 2012, although did enjoy a season in League One following an unlikely automatic promotion in 2008. Chester City went bust and had to start again in 2010 as Chester FC. The same fate befell Hereford United in 2014, now known as Hereford FC. Both sides ply their trade in the National League North these days. Success at this level can be very short-lived indeed.
Minimal time was available for any wound licking as the Easter weekend meant just 48 hours later, we were back at Underhill for the visit of Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion. The Brewers had little to play for but on current form, every game looked tricky.
After half an hour, the Staffordshire side took a 1-0 lead and at half time, the mood around the ground was low, to say the least. A huge 45 minutes ahead.
Early in the second half, Liam Hatch finally ended the prolonged collective goal drought with a headed equaliser but a draw really wouldn’t be good enough. Pressure was building and Burton were doing all the defending, but the lack of cutting edge of late still remained apparent. What happened next was simply poetic.
Substitute Greg Pearson was shoved in the box with two minutes on the clock. Penalty.
Hereford was so raw. So painful. Hendon couldn’t step up again could he?
Nerves. Of. Steel.
There was no debate who would take the kick. The captain placed the ball on the spot and absolutely leathered it at the Burton goal. Scenes of utter pandemonium followed.
The winless run was over. The play offs were still in our hands.
On the penultimate weekend of the campaign, for the third season in a row, our final away trip was to Northwich Victoria. A sizeable Bees contingent made the journey to Cheshire, buoyed with renewed optimism after Monday’s late drama.
The Vics had endured a torrid campaign with various problems off the pitch, too. Permanent members of this league since it’s incarnation in 1979, only the fates of other club’s on the basis of inadequate grounds (Margate relegated, Hucknall Town denied promotion) and liquidation (Telford United) spared Northwich and the other two sides in the relegation zone from the drop that year.
On the day, they went in at the break 1-0 up and it looked as though the Burton moment was merely a brief flicker of hope before the inevitable disappointment.
However, nine minutes from time, Liam Hatch scored in consecutive games to earn a precious point. With other results suiting us, this meant we stayed in the top 5 and it was in our hands for the visit of Leigh RMI (what a generous run in) the following Saturday.
I must admit, I wasn’t at Northwich but instead spent the final Saturday of my Easter holidays from school watching Newport County v Cambridge City in the Dr Martens Premier League (in its final season before the Conference North/South creation). I wore my Barnet shirt to the game - not weird at all - and at the end of the warm up beforehand got very confused but friendly recognition from Stuart Niven, who then called the others over; Lee Pluck, Neil Midgley and Craig Pope. Even at the age of 15, I felt a bit weird about the awkward, “thanks for being here mate," handshakes. The game was 1-1, if you wanted to know.
Anyway, enough of that. Where we are now is what this dissertation amount of writing had been building to.
Saturday 24th April 2004. The sun is shining. Barnet are at home. A memorable campaign comes down to the final day at home to some complete no hopers where all we have to do is win. The crowd is double the normal size. The place is rocking with anticipation, expectation, and also a lot of nerves having largely been average at best since the end of February.
Within six minutes, David McNiven fired Leigh RMI, backed by about 12 away fans into an unlikely lead. Were we really going to Barnet this, this much?
Thankfully, there was a spirited fight back and Barnet didn’t play like the out of sorts side they had been for much of the last few months. The Bees dominated after the early blow, with Ismail Yakubu equalising just ten minutes later. With Exeter and Aldershot doing their bit to keep the pressure on, all three points would be necessary to be absolutely certain.
Into the second half, the pressure was relentless. But not bearing any fruit. A few doubts began to creep in.
It hasn’t been mentioned that in all the other chaos of the closing months of the campaign, Giuliano Grazioli’s name has been missing from the summary of each game. Graz had started like a train and bagged 23 goals by January 24th. However, here we were exactly three months on and he hadn’t added to that tally.
I’m not doing a very good job of making this suspenseful, am I?
In the 58th minute, moments after wasting a golden chance, Barnet’s number 9 kept his cool to fire past Martin in the Leigh RMI goal and send Underhill into raptures. 
Love that picture
And this one.
The outpouring of relief from Graz mirrored that of the fans in the stands. A collective YEEEEESSSSSSSSSS on that one.
Just eight minutes later, Barnet were given the chance to put the game beyond doubt. Graz looked set to add a second for him and make it 3-1, beating the keeper, only for an RMI defender to very obviously push the ball off the line with his hands. A straight red card for him and a great chance for Barnet.
Ian Hendon, hero of Easter Monday, with the memories of Hereford banished stepped up…and missed. Again; his third (unless I’ve lost count?) of this campaign.
Thankfully, RMI didn’t look remotely threatening and whilst those of us in the thick of it on the East Terrace were going through a world of emotional pain and nerves waiting for the final whistle, there really was no need.
At full time, there was no great pitch invasion. The club had pleaded with fans not to go on, in case of any points deductions. Given we were all terrified of not making it after the season we’d just witnessed, everyone duly obeyed.
However, there were still great scenes in the stands. The players did a lap of honour and rightly enjoyed their moment as most stayed behind to show their appreciation.
Good lads
For some of us, the celebrations went long into the night, still on the premises. One of the famous Durham Suite parties had been in the calendar, play offs or not. Following a St Patrick’s one back in March, this one was marking St George’s Day for the day previous.
Much singing of Barnet songs amidst the cha cha slide, Usher’s ‘yeah’ and famously an Irish anthem which was met by great disdain from one party goer, given the marketing of the event. Funny.
Some people went home to change. I’d gone via a mate’s house but didn’t feel the need. I was there in my home shirt, Reebok three quarter length tracksuit bottoms, Lacoste trainers and a sweatband (probably not a thing at the time but I’m saying it was). 
With no chance of being served behind the bar, I recall shuttling back and forth to the cricket field to swig from a bottle of Bacardi stolen from someone’s dad’s drinks cupboard. A toast to being in the play offs!
Playoffs
Shrewsbury Town were the opposition in the play offs. Both sides had won 1-0 at each other’s grounds during the campaign but similarly struggled for consistency to mount a challenge any more serious than for the top 5. The Shrews had finished 3rd, three points above us.
As the 4th placed side, it meant we would be at home first. Over 4000 packed into Underhill, the highest crowd for a competitive game since the Torquay relegation one in 2001.
The sense of nervous energy in the East Terrace was palpable. Songs struggled to get off the ground with lots of people trying to start different things. Excitement but all very shaky. Thankfully there was more cohesion on the pitch.
12 minutes in, Liam Hatch was felled by the Shrews ‘keeper. Penalty. After another miss against Leigh, it wasn’t Ian Hendon who stepped up. For the first time, Ben Strevens took the responsibility. Cool as you like, the ball was dispatched into the bottom corner getting Barnet off to an ideal start. 
As expected, a Shrewsbury response came and it was a strong one. Shane Gore would go on to be remembered well for his heroics in goal in the second leg, but the tone was set in the first half of this game with a close range save from Duane Darby.
Barnet appeared to have weathered the storm but were to be undone by a seemingly harsh handball decision. Danny Maddix was adjudged to have handled in the box and the lively Luke Rodgers didn’t fail in rocketing his penalty into the roof of Gore’s net. 1-1 at the break.
The second half was end to end with a few chances for either side but no one looked clinical or brave enough to take the advantage into the second leg.
The board had long been held up to show how many additional minutes when Ian Hendon threw it short to Ismail Yakubu, out wide on the right. Yakubu jinked past his man, found some space and lofted a hopeful cross into the box.
Simon Clist, on as a substitute, made a late darting run to the near post. He didn’t get much on it, but it was enough. His low, diving header nestled in the bottom corner of the Shrews’ goal and Underhill went absolutely nuts. Bodies were everywhere on the East Terrace. Celebrations were still ongoing when the referee blew his whistle very shortly after.
A lot of work still to be done. But what a moment. The play offs had been this fabled destination since last July and here we were, in them, winning at home in the 94th minute. One of the great Underhill nights.
May Day Bank Holiday Monday. 1200 Barnet fans descended on the banks of the River Severn with the Sky cameras also present for this poised second leg.
It felt quite surreal pulling away on one of the six (or maybe more?) coaches from outside the Queens Arms that morning.
The stop off was at Telford United. The Bucks financial collapse was now well documented and there were very valid (as it turned out) fears they had played their final game. As it happened, they were happy to take whatever money they could. No one had any trouble getting served, despite my group looking like a school trip give the expanded play off travelling numbers.
Two pints of Carling enjoyed, it was a boisterous entrance to the already busy away end once arriving at Gay Meadow. The sense of anticipation was huge. The away end was packed, nervous, buzzing. It looked incredible as the teams came out: 
In the third minute, a mix up between centre half Tinson and goalkeeper Howie almost led to a very welcome, comical own goal. However, the misjudged header went just wide of the post.
After this, it was largely a Shrewsbury onslaught. Barnet defended gallantly, with a few fortunate moments too. Hendon cleared one off the line and then just before half time, Shane Gore made an obscene save to turn an effort around the post.
However, from the corner of the latter, on 44 minutes, Liam Hatch seemingly forget where he was and what the rules were. A needless raised arm gave the referee a simple decision to make. Like in the first leg, a penalty awarded for handball just before half time.
Unfortunately, like at Underhill, Rodgers made absolutely no mistake, confidently dispatching his spot kick to level things up.
The second half was largely more of the same. Barnet had started brightly but it was very much backs against the wall and few complaints were had in the away end to see us force extra time.
This was during the silver goal era (a goal scored before the first half of extra time would be the winner if the score was as that on 105 minutes). A moment of note related to this being the referee forgetting the rules and having to go and check, pausing the game towards the end of the first period of extra time.
Not much happened in these fifteen minutes, but for right at the end. The imposing Duane Darby connected powerfully with a close range header and Shane Gore, the beautiful Welshman, made one of the best saves I have ever seen live. Superb.
No silver goal and no further goals in open play. Shrewsbury always looked the more likely to score, but we were resolute and despite the terror, could feel pleased to have forced a penalty shootout. They’d had much of the game, but perhaps it was set up for a real smash and grab?
The coin toss was ominous. The penalties would take place at the far end of the ground, surrounded by three sides of baying Shrews.
Still confident, the ridiculous chant of, “Stoke City! Stoke City! We’re the famous Barnet FC and we’re going to Stoke City!" rang around the away end before the first kick. The Britannia Stadium the chosen venue for the first few Conference finals, whilst the new Wembley was under construction.
Shrewsbury were up first and scored. This pattern continued: Strevens, Grazioli and Yakubu all did the same before the Shrews fourth taker continued the 100% conversion rate.
Simon Clist stepped up for Barnet’s fourth penalty. Like on Thursday, he had come from the subs’ bench during the second half for Guy Lopez. His impact in the game hadn’t been quite so significant but unfortunately, his contribution to the story of the game would be similarly key. A tame side footed effort was just the right height for Howie, who comfortably palmed the effort away.
Agony
The next bit all happened really quickly. Before you knew it, Shrewsbury were stepping up for their fifth kick and made absolutely no mistake. The ground erupted and the pitch was flooded with blue shirts. Just like that, it was all over.
Many of us clambered up the perimeter fence to show our appreciation for the team. I was a blubbering wreck. I’d never felt pain like that watching a game of football before. It was utter heartbreak.
If it’s not been apparent in this odyssey of writing, a lot of emotion and heart had gone into this season. It was a real outpouring of that at full time.
Barnet’s players tried to get over to acknowledge the disappointed away end. Strevens took a whack from a local moron, but a few got over to a resounding ovation.
Once the initial over excited youngsters had got bored of taunting us, there was actually a large contingent of very sporting Shrews fans who came over to clap the away end and even shake hands over the fence. One group of chaps in their early 20s had obviously seen my despair and were incredibly magnanimous in coming over and telling us how wonderful Shane Gore was.
With puffy, sore eyes, the coach was boarded and a generally much quieter journey back to London commenced.
It ultimately ended in disappointment, but given the starting point, it had been an incredible ride with so many memorable points along the way. Many of my best friends now were made on the terraces that season, and for that I’m hugely grateful.
We all know what happened over the course of the following summer and the next 12 months. Maybe we’ll pick that one up in the next close season…
Thanks for reading.
Player of the year: Giuliano Grazioli
Most improved: Ben Strevens
Young player: Ismail Yakubu
Goal of the season: Guy Lopez v Brentford
OUT: Mark Rooney, Tony Taggart, Bai Mass Lette Jallow, Greg Pearson, Matt Redmile, Danny Naisbitt, Des Hamilton, Mark Williams, Joe Gamble, Soloman Henry, Marc Cumberbatch, Luke Smith, Brett Freeman
RETAINED: Shane Gore, Ricky Millard, Ian Hendon, Chris Plummer, Danny Maddix, Ismail Yakubu, Simon King, Guy Lopez, Liam Hatch, Giuliano Grazioli, Lee Roache
Transfer Listed: Simon Clist, Ben Strevens
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