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Ebbs And Flowing Football
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Tiki-taka Bees
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By:
Max Bygraves
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29/08/2023
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This article has been viewed 618 times.
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It’s a positive sign when you’re kicking off the sixth game of the season with 10 points and feeling a bit like things should be even better.
I didn’t make the trip to Dagenham on Saturday, but it didn’t sound pretty. Hopefully a minor blip at a place where we never seem to get much joy. The rapid bank holiday fixture turnaround allowed for things to be put right quick - or to potentially compound the misery.
Ebbsfleet have made a good start on their return to the National League. Something of yo-yo club in the last few decades, most recently relegated by points per game in the Covid curtailed 2019/20 season.
After changing their name (they’ll always be Gravesend & Northfleet in my mind) and the whole MyFootballClub ownership thing in the mid 2000s, they’ve become a bit more substance than gimmick and will be looking to re-establish themselves at this level. A solid backing of 285 in a 1888 crowd today and a team that look like they’ll probably be more than ok to hold their own in the fifth tier.
The game started at quite a pace from both sides. After an Ebbsfleet attack almost straight from kick off, Barnet charged back and within the first two minutes were camped around former Bee Mark Cousins’ box on a goal kick. There was immediate urgency, but not a lot of end product.
Once the game settled, Barnet assumed control and for a time, it felt like ‘when’ the first goal would come for us, not if. However, as half chances went by the wayside, there was something of a grim inevitability of what may happen next.
The visitors had their first purposeful attack on 21 minutes and it led to their talisman, Dominic Poleon, putting them ahead. Sloppy defending. A bit of a sucker punch.
The rest of the first half was one of frustration. Barnet were controlling the game and once again playing some really good football. However, decision making in the final third was consistently not what it should have been. Corner after corner. Unmet cross after unmet cross. You did fear it could be ‘one of those days,’ the way it was shaping up.
Who would have thought 8 minutes of first half stoppage time could be a good thing? The extended time allowed for the breakthrough to finally come. Moments after a mishit effort from Collinge that surmised Barnet’s half in front of goal well; a brave, clever diving header from Nicke Kabamba with his whole body just a few centimetres above the grass, made it 1-1. Relief all round as the whistle blew instantly for the interval.
Lots of puffed cheeks and long exhales by those walking down for their half time refreshments. On another day, it could and maybe should have been a lot more comfortable. However, given the timing of the goal and the Bees’ dominance, confidence was high that things would go in the right direction.
The way the second forty five began certainly suggested this confidence was not misplaced. We were totally camped in their half and the way we were popping the ball about was a real sight to behold.
Hartigan and Gorman were pulling the strings in midfield, Brunt full of tricks and flicks with Collinge and Coker adding to the attack on the overlap. At times, it was some of the best football I can ever recall any Barnet team playing.
Anthony Hartigan in particular was exceptional today. A proper footballer. A wonderful range of passing, excellent positioning and totally calm on the ball. I must cite The Wardrobe for his correct analysis of this from the previous games. I thought he was solid but not spectacular against Woking. In this one, he was superb. If someone else hadn’t scored a hat trick, he would have walked Man of the Match. Exceptional, indeed.
The second goal came after Hartigan had had an effort tipped onto the bar and a barrage of other pressure and half chances. Kabamba fired in at the back post. It felt like this would be the start of a procession and a case of just how many from here. That felt like the only script.
But this hadn’t been read by the visitors. Within less than minutes, the score was inexplicably 2-2. Poleon again. A real mess of a goal from all involved. The away fans and players could barely believe their luck. Once again, thoughts of a ‘one of them,’ scenario crept into mind.
Thankfully, the pendulum didn’t swing the way of the visitors. Barnet continued the relentless possession, pressure and general dominance - although there was an element of panic setting in at this stage.
Zak Brunt, still buoyant from his fine performance and goals in the last home game, was taking Brennan’s request for him to score more very seriously. Shots from here, there and everywhere. We’ve seen he can do it, but there were times when the pass would have been the better option. Inexperience, impatience and a little exuberance. On other days, that combination and choices from it will likely win us games.
Although not the match winner today, Brunt would again show his worth with a key assist. Following some lovely work by Coker, Brunt drifted a ball into the box for Kabamba to connect with, with the deftest of touches, to re-take the lead. His 5th of the season and a hat trick; his second of these in 2023.
The goal went in as substitutes were stood ready to come on. Despite going ahead, these planned changes were still made. Courtney Senior was introduced to add some spark out wide. He maybe should have done better with a chance near the end. Kabamba could have had another, too.
Idris Kanu was a miss. The sight of him in his tracksuit behind the bench was reassuring, after initial fears his absence could be linked to the transfer rumours of midweek. Can’t help but feel he’d have gladly got in on the act here and maybe made this more comfortable.
Comfortable was not a word to describe the seven minutes added on at the end. It shouldn’t have come to it after such dominance but there were a few nervy moments. It would have been criminal not to hold on, but given they’d got 2 goals from nothing already, little could be taken for granted.
After one of Ebbsfleet’s final endeavours from a set piece came quite a bizarre encounter involving former Barnet loanee Josh Wright and a home supporter. Prior to this happening, I had intended to highlight Wright in this article, firstly my surprise in seeing him turning out for the visitors (simply through losing track of his career) and mainly remarking on what an excellent player he was when in a Barnet shirt. He still showed some flashes throughout this, too. Frightening to think he came on loan 16 years ago.
Universally popular when at the club; we knew he was too good for us as a teenager to sign permanently and he left with our best wishes. He was not an obvious target for any verbals.
It transpires that something fairly innocuous related to his family reality TV links was shouted his way. However, it prompted quite a strong response from Wright who clearly did not take well to it. Angrily coming back, he appeared to offer the supporter to settle things outside afterwards much to the amusement of many. Not to mis-report without all the facts, but we believe this offer of a fight was not taken up.
The Only Way Was Exit for the fan and The Only Way Was Ebbsfleet for their skipper. Sorry. That was really bad, wasn’t it?
A huge relief all round when the referee finally blew his whistle sometime past 5pm (the classified check really would be tricky to do on Sports Report this season). It had been a dominant, convincing display which was largely very easy on the eye. However, two sloppy goals made for a different overall picture to the hugely positive one it should have been.
It was interesting to hear Brennan’s post-match interview where he asked a few questions of his goalkeeper. He may have a point but it feels quite a big public call given the incredible consistency from Walker over the past 12 months. The manager has worked with him for a long time here and elsewhere and is well placed to decide what’s likely to get the best out of him.
Hard to disagree with his analogy that Kabamba could have had six although praise for a hat trick perhaps could have been easier to come by. No doubt standards are being set sky high. As alluded to at the start, being happy but not delighted with our points tally at this stage is a marker of where we are and how far we’ve come.
Onto next Saturday, and we enter September with a short trip to Boreham Wood. Joy has been few and far between against Luke Garrard’s side during this stint in the same division. Last season’s score draw at Meadow Park our best effort there to date. They go into the game on the back of a 4-0 backside tanning at newly promoted Oxford City. With only 6 points from 6 games, it’s not the start they’ll have expected or wanted.
Whilst we have every reason to go into this one optimistic, they’ll be seeing it as a chance to kickstart their season. You know how up for it they’ll be and what kind of game they’ll create. But we’ve got to do all we can to take the opportunity of finally ending our winless run there.
A big Barnet following is needed and should be a given. 998 made the trip there on January 2nd. Let’s go past the thousand mark this time.
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