Archived News from December 2006
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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When Barnet returned to the Football League as Conf champions after an absence of four seasons, they created history inasmuch as the Bees were the first side to gain promotion from the Conference for the second time. And despite a bright comeback with ten points from the first four fixtures, the Bees were among a couple of relegation contenders on record number of points up to the final weeks of last season.
And so far this term, Barnet are sitting in the bottom half but their home games have seen lots of goals at both ends, including a 5-0-routing delivered by Lincoln a few months ago and a 4-1 FA Cup second round KO of League One Northampton recently. But the most recent Stags visit to Underhill, on Easter Monday 2006, saw a solitary goal at the wrong end for the Stags and dodgy refereeing contributing to two red cards. And on top of that, when Stags boss Shirtliff should contest the red cards to the FA, all he got from Barnet was a blank video tape! Barnet's first-ever league victory was achieved in their first promotion, gained way back in 1990-91 – after losing the very first league game to the rare scoreline of 4-7 at home to Crewe Alexandra. But the Bees' second league game and the first-ever away one was a pairing with the Stags, who just had been relegated to the then Division 4 in its last season after spending five campaigns at the third level. And Barnet notched their first-ever league win to a 2-1 scoreline after goals by Bull and Carter, their two top-scorers in the 1991-92 season, while Charles converted a penalty for the Stags in front of 2669. But after that fixture, the Stags were unbeaten in 12 games while Barnet figured in promotion and playoff spots all season. Already then, the Barnet games were high-scoring ones, ending the season with 81 for, 61 against minus two expunged games against Aldershot. (The Stags also had two expunged fixtures against the Shots as well). The latest – before the 2005-06 campaign - Mansfield v Barnet league fixture was played at Field Mill on February 27, 2001, in front of a paltry 1623 crowd, who saw the Stags win 4-1 (Stags goals Bradley 2, Greenacre and Williams, Barnet goal Strevens) – and no other league game at the Mill since then has attracted fewer spectators, although some LDV Vans Trophy ones have – and the most recent example of this was the LDV Vans game against Hereford a few days before Barnet visited Field Mill last season. Then, Barnet were in a bad patch that mainly contributed to their final league position. And on October 22, 2005, the Bees were heavily stung to a 4-0 scoreline, then the Stags' second consecutive 4-0 home victory. An early penalty, converted by Barker, who also finished the scoring, started the rout. In the second half, goals by Brown and Rundle definitely put the fixture beyond doubt, and the scoreline could have been even higher. Due to that victory, the Stags left the bottom two in the League. The latest but one league game at Barnet also saw loads of goals as the sides shared six of them in front of 1732 at Underhill on August 19, 2000, no wonder of that as most Stags visits to Underhill have been drawn. Stags scorers then were Blake, Clarke and Greenacre while the Barnet hit-men were Arber, Stockley and McGleish, the latter later at Northampton. Barnet, who midway that 2000-01 season stuffed Blackpool 7-0 at home, eventually were relegated after losing their last home game 2-3 against Torquay, but lost their last fifteen (!) away games that season, yet scored 67 times, only a few less than champions Brighton. But the biggest Stags win was a 5-0 achieved on a Friday, November 20, 1998 – and it also was the first game played with a yellow ball. The Stags scorers then in front of 2965 were Peacock (3), Ford and Christie – and the 3-0 on December 31, 1994, scorers Donaldson 2, Ireland attended by 2891 was the last of a four-match winning streak in which the Stags netted on nineteen occasions! Thr Stags have only lost twice at Barnet (see above) , but have also only won once. That win was secured late on in the 1997-98 season when Whitehall (who else that term) converted from the spot on April 25, 1998. A Stag currently on loan to Barnet is Adam Birchall, who scored in the FA Cup rout against Northampton recently but is ineligible to play on Saturday due to the loan conditions. Played for both sides: Keith Alexander, Adam Birchall, Gary Brazil, Jamie Campbell, John Doolan, John Fairbrother, Warren Hackett, Lee Howarth, Pat Kruse, Alan Walker, Steve Whitworth. Stats file: Home: P 9, W 5, D 1, L 3, GF 20, GA 7 Away: P 9, W 1, D 6, L 2, GF 7, GA 9 Season Home Date Away Date 1991-92 1-2 1991-08-24 0-2 1991-12-21 Division 4 (old) 1994-95 3-0 1994-12-31 2-2 1995-04-08 Division 3 1995-96 2-1 1996-03-02 0-0 1995-12-26 Division 3 1996-97 0-0 1996-09-10 1-1 1996-12-26 Division 3 1997-98 1-2 1997-10-25 1-0 1998-04-25 Division 3 1998-99 5-0 1998-11-20 0-0 1999-04-17 Division 3 1999-2000 0-1 2000-04-01 0-0 1999-12-18 Division 3 2000-01 4-1 2001-02-27 3-3 2000-08-19 Division 3 2005-06 4-0 2005-10-22 0-1 2006-04-17 League Two Details from various sources, i.e. the history CD, soccernet, the centenary book Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right) |
Latest | December 2006