By Nathan Jackson
January 10 2006

A lot of fans have been moaning about the Imps throwing away leads recently but nothing can beat a game against Barnet in the 2000/1 season. City found themselves 3-0 up after 26 minutes at Underhill but Barnet, who were eventually relegated managed to turn the game around and win 4-3.

City went down to Underhill sitting 16^th after 14 games. City had won just 4 of those games and had just 17 points to show for their efforts. Barnet on the other hand, despite having just 3 points more than the Imps, were having a relatively good season by their usual standards and were 12^th in the table.

 

So we get to 3pm on Saturday 28^th October 2000. 1,642 fans, including 259 Imps supporters failed to make the small stadium look even slightly full. City failed to field a completely full strength side with first team regulars, Stuart Bimson, Tony Battersby and Kingsley Black all on the bench. However, on the 6^th minute, a seemingly make shift Imps side took the lead when Paul Mayo, a player who was being scouted by Tottenham at the time, sent in a corner and City’s leading scorer, Gavin Gordon scored his 6^th goal of the season by heading confidently into the net.

 

Barnet were surprisingly poor in the opening exchanges of the match and it took until the 16^th minute to test Alan Marriott but just after the half way mark of the first half, Mayo sprinted down the wing before sending an excellent cross into the box and midfielder, Richard Peacock smashed a low shot past Barnet keeper, Naisbett to give the Imps a comfortable 2-0 lead, however, with 2 minutes, Peacock turned from scorer to provider when he cross to Gordon who had a simple tap in to give City a 3-0 lead away from home.

 

Imps’ fans were delighted due to the fact that City hadn’t won away since April, however, within a minute, Barnet started to impose themselves and City captain, John Finnigan had to head a John Doolan effort off the line, however, Stuart Niven did find the net when he beat Marriott after City failed to clear a corner. Gordon could have sealed the game in the 37^th minute when Finnigan played a beautiful through ball to Gordon but the former Hull man couldn’t find the finished at Naisbett saved comfortably.

 

Another corner wasn’t dealt with and Arber headed the ball to Warren Goodhind who headed Barnet to just a 3-2 deficit with over 35 minutes left. However, it did appear that City were heading for a win but then, with just over 10 minutes to go, Omer Riza got between Holmes and Brown and slotted past Marriott to make it 3-3 and within a minute, City again failed to clear a corner and Tony Richards headed Barnet into the lead.

 

Jason Barnett almost equalised for the Imps but he header was pushed onto the bar and then, in the 89^th minute, City won a penalty when Battersby was brought down in the box, however, Steve Holmes’ penalty was saved and City threw away a game they could have easily won by double figures.

 

Despite continuing to move up the league for a while, a slide after Christmas mean there was a fantastic last day battle between Torquay and Barnet, with the loser being relegated. Torquay won 3-2 and Barnet were relegated after being 7^th at Christmas, a feeling that City fans certainly know.