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Point Taken
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The unbeaten run continues but a home win still elusive…
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By:
Max Bygraves
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31/08/2025
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This article has been viewed 291 times.
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You cannot whack a late equaliser. A 1-1 draw with a goal anytime after about 83 minutes always ensures you leave the ground with a spring in your step. From being unbeaten at home for a season to just being glad to end the losing run - context is of course key here, but great to get that off our backs.
I did say at the end of my last write up things would improve. Back to back away wins and clean sheets perhaps doing this to an even greater extent than expected. I couldn’t make either, obviously. For much of this game, I was questioning if I’m in fact the problem. I think I can thankfully now attend next Saturday, too.
Pre-match build up this week, the major talking point the surprise departure of Zak Brunt to Boreham Wood on loan. Whilst he hadn’t lit up the games he’d featured in so far, it would appear another fairly ruthless and quick fire call. Most of these have been right up to now so it’s not necessarily a case of questioning or criticising. What it is, however, is sad to see a player who ensured his name is forever in club folklore for the way he celebrated the title win. The ring leader of the mayhem of The Railway Tavern. A loan departure doesn’t strictly mean the end of his Barnet career but whether this is the case or not, you can only wish him well despite where he’ll be playing his football now.
Arriving at The Hive for this one as part of a three generation collective with my dad and two kids, we opted to park on-site for ease of access with small legs and dubious skies overhead. Entering the normal car park, we were guided by additional staff to park on one of the astro-turf pitches nearest the entrance. This was a little frustrating on the walk to the turnstile, seeing several spaces much closer empty. The chap doing the directing in the astro cage was very reasonable about the way he wanted it all laid out and had considered trying to space cars out to avoid the obvious bottle neck at the end being too severe. One fairly narrow gate as access for cars and pedestrians perhaps a little questionable. Happy to go with it for now. Seeing a chap in his finest wedding attire pushing a buggy just a little ahead of us explained perhaps the additional overflow. Welcome to The Hive London on a Saturday afternoon during the season, eh?
I was as positive as possible about the big improvements at the Walsall game a fortnight ago. Night and day from the Fleetwood debacle. So this is only going to be another honest appraisal of personal match day experience.
For some reason, only the new turnstiles were operational on the way into Legends, none of the old ones that were last time reducing entry points by about half. It was evident the designated ‘ticket help’ people were being kept quite busy with the standard troublesome QR codes. My friend’s season ticket seat had also been incorrectly sold for this one.
It would have been helpful to have had a club announcement on Friday perhaps that the parking changes were happening and half the turnstiles were shut. Courteous, help people maybe plan more accordingly in terms of timings or choosing to use the parking. Not hard, is it?
I didn’t sample the bar pre-match with the little ones and instead spent some time pitchside watching the sprinklers and having a quick high five with Mr Bumble. It was apparent even before kick off that it was fairly busy in both ends and Colchester’s away support were keen to make themselves heard.
We played Colchester not all that long ago during our third football league stint. However, when their name pops up, I can’t really think beyond that phenomenal Tuesday night in January 2007 when Jason Puncheon gave us a brilliant FA cup upset with a late screamer. That was in Colchester’s Championship heyday when they were humbled at Underhill. Of course, those of a certain vintage will no doubt recall our ‘98 play off heartache against this opposition. A reasonably infrequent but often significant adversary.
The first action of the game itself saw Cieran Slicker having to make himself big in the Barnet goal to deny Colchester an early opener. This was greeted with a lot of positivity, however, that was a little harder to come by less than ten minutes in when we found ourselves a goal down. The home hoodoo looked to be continuing. A soft free kick perhaps but it felt like a pretty soft goal too, despite the misfortune of a deflection presenting a gilt-edged chance. It was well taken. And recently, an all too familiar feeling at The Hive.
There wasn’t an awful lot to report from the first half after the goal. We showed willing to get level but created little. Equally, Colchester didn’t put their foot on the gas. Slicker recovered well from a poor clearance to make a flying save to deny from range but it wasn’t quite heart-in-mouth stuff. The only real thing of note was a bizarre incident by our bench which saw a clash of players and then someone knocking Dean Brennan over. He seemed to get up ok but I don’t imagine was best pleased.
With my son’s attention seriously waning, I took him for a walk downstairs to get the half time drinks for our row. I left on around 41 minutes, assuming in this new golden pre-pour era, this would be more than adequate. Greeted with the very clear, reduced drinks price signs on arrival, my hopes were high.
By the time I’d been served, the feeling was disappointingly familiar. There were loads of drinks pre-poured however we were somehow managing to make a dog’s dinner of this very basic system and concept. When I arrived, there were three queues perhaps ten deep. Quickly, this was reduced to two for an error that was unclear but meant a lot of people then having to go to the back of another queue. Then two additional queues were opened up but everyone was clearly nervous to stick or twist given the previous situation.
Once I got to the front, it was quick and seamless enough for what I was after, so I’m a little confused at the previous few minutes. Watching how proceedings played out at half time, it felt a lot more chaotic and laborious for those waiting than the last time out.
Two steps forward, one step back. I’m sorry but you can’t keep plugging that nonsense 102 Club that next to no one is going to be stupid enough to sign up for yet not get the basics right. Sort it out, be consistent, be better. If you want to try something new, do something for the masses. Pre match entertainment or activities? Something at half time? Anything. Or just at very least get parking, turnstiles and the bar established to a decent level of regular service. There is a captive audience waiting and we continue to make it difficult at the most simple level. So frustrating.
This is a word that provides a kindly segue into talking about the opening exchanges of the second half. There were many encouraging signs from Barnet as we chased an equaliser. However, whilst knocking on the door, it looked as though there was no chance of being let in.
What didn’t help our cause was yet more abysmal officiating in the English Football League. No step up in that regard from the National League. Once more, Hawkins received zero protection and the only time the ref blew his whistle was to give a soft foul against him. Arguably the biggest frustration coming when Collinge was clearly fouled in the box. Blatant. No penalty given.
Stead and Kanu both had relatively tame efforts comfortably saved and it felt like it might just be one of those afternoons. Colchester were happy to sit on their lead and showed no real sign of adventure to double it. The game turned into a bit of a time-wasting masterclass from our Essex counterparts.
As the clock ticked on, several changes were made and a change in system as well as personnel. However, into the final minute of normal time, it was two familiar faces that combined to end the game on a fine moment.
Danny Collinge has not had the start of the season he would probably have wanted. However, I’ve found it somewhat difficult to hear grumbles aimed his way from the stands at some of the early games. This is a man now in his fourth season with us (who it sounds like could have gone elsewhere in the summer) and has been so dependable throughout, representing the club with real pride and class.
Charging forward down the right, he played the ball wide to Idris Kanu, who it is fair to say has so far perhaps made the step up look the easiest of the players promoted. The pair exchanged a lovely one-two and on the ball’s return, Collinge dispatched it superbly into the Colchester net. Get in.
A moment our number four would have no doubt particularly savoured, having spent a few years with them earlier in his career but never breaking into the first team. Subsequently drifting into non-league and ending up at Barnet via a less than glamorous route. Colchester’s loss has proved to be our gain; I was delighted for him to have had that moment. Let’s hope he can kick on to those consistently higher levels we’ve seen before on the back of this.
There was excitement as the board went up to show six additional minutes but in truth, we never looked like snatching a dramatic winner. In the scenario, taking a point very much ok. Something to build on next Saturday.
The exit from the ground via the parking was a little bit chaotic (as expected) although the exit time wasn’t too bad. The traffic on Camrose Lane took ages. This a trade off we can deal with for bigger crowds and a proper atmosphere. Last moan of this one, the return of that horrendous end of match we don’t win music. Put it back in whatever bin it was in after the last game!
A quick turnaround to Tuesday where we enter the Auto Windscreens LDV Johnstone’s Paint Papa John’s Whatever It Is Now Trophy. The prospect of a £5 trip to Luton’s fantastically awful ground is one being toyed with - work commitments will dictate a late-ish call on that. Whatever the outcome there, it feels like we’re in a good position to finally get that first win at The Hive against struggling Shrewsbury next Saturday.
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