BARNET 5-4 TORQUAY UNITED
League
Division 4 - Saturday 28th December 1992 -
Att 3,891
Christmas entertainment on a grand scale - a great time to be a Barnet fan!
When
Barnet fans mention Torquay United invariably one recalls that awful
day in 2001 and the head to head relegation decider. I try and recall
the wonderful 5-4 victory at Christmas nine seasons earlier.
Sitting
second in the table and soon to go top with a squad full to the brim
of classy players, attendances hitting the 4,000 mark, goals flying
in left right and centre, times should have been good. However Barry
Fry had recently been ‘sacked’ and then reinstated by the
unpredictable Stan Flashman and the club had just been fined £50,000
by the Football League for what was termed as ‘financial
irregularities’. Plus a transfer embargo had been slapped on the
club. How on earth we maintained our challenge in the league and
still managed to produce the scintillating football on display every
week I am sure will never be conclusively explained to me.
Torquay
United arrived complete with cold turkey sandwiches for the return
journey to Devon and both teams were give generous late Christmas
presents to each other in the form of goals.
In
a quiet first half the normally calm and collected Richard Huxford
completely mistimed a clearance and sliced the ball past a
flat-footed Gary Phillips to give the Gulls the lead.
Fry
had obviously thrown a few tea cups around the dressing room as had
Gulls boss World Cup winner Alan Ball as it appeared as if two
entirely different teams had come out for the second period. Within
ten minutes four goals were scored three by Barnet.
Brian Stein
cleverly steered in a Gary Bull cross and moments later Huxford was
upended after a cavalier like run into the box – Bull converted the
resulting spot kick.
Torquay’s Foster levelled the scores at 2-2
before Bull was carelessly bought down in the box by American
goalkeeper Juergen Sommer. Bully rarely missed from 12 yards.
 |
| Brian Stein |
Torquay
were soon level again thanks to acres of space and a stunning Paul
Trollope drive that gave Phillips no chance. Failing to clear a
Huxford cross the Gull’s defence allowed ace marksman Mark Carter
who had replaced Geoff Cooper to pounce. Nicky Evans, on as sub for
Paul Showler, as would be expected got in on the act too and looped a
header perfectly over Sommer’s head for 5-3. Duane Darby pulled a
goal back to set up a panic-stricken finish – Phillips came to the
rescue smothering the loose ball in the 6-yard box deep into injury
time.
The
win returned Barnet to the top of the table where they stayed for
nearly three months but ultimately had to settle for third place but
nonetheless promotion to Division 2.
Barnet:
Gary Phillips – Richard Huxford – Geoff Cooper – Mick Bodley –
Dave Barnett – Duncan Horton – Derek Payne – Brian Stein –
Gary Bull – Kenny Lowe – Paul Showler. Subs Nicky Evans and Mark
Carter.
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