Barnet vs Bury - Reported by Hannah Ingram at Underhill
After drawing a blank at home to Morecambe on Tuesday night, Bury made the long trip south to face Barnet. The Bees were comprehensibly beaten 3-0 away at Bournemouth on the same night, leaving them in 17th place going into today's game, with the Shakers occupying 3rd position and the final automatic promotion place. After sitting out the Morecambe with an ankle injury, David Worrall came back into the team, whilst Paul Scott had to sit out today's match with a knee injury.
John O'Flynn came close to opening the scoring on 5 minutes after a corner on the right from Abert Adomah. He brought the ball down well and forced a point blank save from Wayne Brown, before Micah Hyde tried again with the loose ball, forcing Futcher and Brown to block on the line once more.
Adomah had a chance of his own two minutes later after a clever pass from Jake Hyde on the left to set him up on the right. Forcing a diving save from Brown, the score line stayed the same. With the following counter attack, David Worral put the ball just over the bar from outside the box.
Dawson set up David Worrall on the right on 12 minutes with a pin point cross. Left with time to tee up a shot and with only Jake Cole in the Bees goal to beat from the right of the box, he put his low shot just wide of the left post.
Moments later and a gorgeous through ball from Buchanan on the right set up Ryan Lowe on the right of the box. He sent in a low cross that was begging for a close range finish but before Michael Jones could get to it, the ball was cleared.
O'Flynn had another chance to break the deadlock on 14 minutes after a cross from the left met his head six yards out. His header lacked power and was straight at Brown in the Bury net.
Worrall sent a cheeky pass out wide to Lowe on the right wing on 18 minutes; the Scouser tired another low cross in front of goal, but Morrell slid in to finish the move too late.
After Gary Breen had manhandled Lowe on his way up the pitch on 20 minutes, Bury were awarded a free kick just outside the box on the right. Taken quickly by BBM and along the ground, Ryan Lowe was there to turn and shoot only to rattle the right post and see the ball cleared.
Yellow card for Barnet on 23 minutes - Matt Lockwood
Another cross from Lowe on the right on 33 minutes dribbled in front of a goal looking for Worrall as he slid in but the ball was cleared for a corner. Taken by Jones on the left, it reached Futcher at the far post but his header was blocked on the line by Lockwood.
A good cross from Newey on the left just before half time was looking for the head of Jones; he headed the ball down for Morrell on the left of the box but his shot was wasted as he put it well over the bar.
One minute of added time was indicated by the fourth official, but time was soon called on a first half that seemed to rain chances for both sides. Ryan Lowe was constantly a threat on the right of the box sending in dangerous crosses in front of goal, but nobody seemed to apply the killer finish. Barnet had their chances too, with their best falling to Adomah in the early stages of the half. The first period of play seemed to stall in the final stages as both sides tried to keep possession, but a second half with more action looked promising.
Half Time - Bees 0 Shakers 0
The first real second half chance for the Shakers fell to Worrall on 59 minutes after Lowe had threaded him through into the left of the box, but his initial shot was deflected away for a corner. Moments later and Adomah took a shot from just inside the box which forced Brown to get down low and block.
Substitution for Bury on 63 minutes - Andy Bishop on for Andy Morrell
Substitution for Barnet on 63 minutes - Mark Hughes on for Micah Hyde, Nicky Deverdics on for David Livermore
After a foul on Dawson on 69 minutes, Bury were awarded a free kick just outside the box. Jones and BBM both stood over it, but it was Jones who took it, curling it towards the left post with his right foot only to see it go wide.
Bishop had his first real chance of the match on 71 minutes after Bury forged an attack courtesy of a deflected forward ball from Breen which fell straight into Bishop's path. A few passes later and Bishop struck from the right of the box only to see Cole make an acrobatic save to keep the ball out of the net.
A cross from Worrall on the right of the box on 74 minutes found the head of Jones at the far post but he once again put the ball wide.
A dangerous whipped cross from Jones on the right of the box on 82 minutes proved challenging for Clovis Kamdjo in front of goal as his clearance was almost turned into his own net. A pass from Lowe on the right of the box moments later found Jones just inside the box but his low shot was blocked by Cole as he got down well.
Substitution for Bury on 85 minutes - Danny Racchi on for Michael Jones
Substitution for Barnet on 85 minutes - Kenny Gilett on for Matt Lockwood
A powerful shot from Dawson just inside the box on 89 minutes hit Lowe in front of goal who was judged to be offside.
Substitution for Bury on 89 minutes - Tom Elliot on for Ryan Lowe
Three minutes of added time was indicated by the fourth official as Jarrett powered a shot from the left of the box which went narrowly over the bar.
Time was soon called on a match where the Shakers missed a hatful of chances to take the lead and In fact win the game. Barnet didn't come forward as much in the second half but Bury continued to press but to no avail. It's another point towards the promotion push, but it didn't go unnoticed that Bury should have travelled back up the M1 with all three. Bury's next opponents are Dagenham at home next weekend, and the Shakers should be looking to make these chances count.
Full Time - Bees 0 Shakers 0
Attendance - 1,949 (399 visitors)
