FA Trophy 2nd Round

BARNET 2 Dorchester Town 1

The Bees overcame stubborn resistance from their Evo Stik League opponents to book their place in round three. Enjoying the majority of the possession in the first half Barnet came close to taking an early lead when Charlee Adams low drive rebounded off a post. Magpies keeper Kingsley Latham saved well from Cheye Alexander and Jack Taylor headed just over as the Bees continued to dominate. The home side took the lead after 50 minutes when Shaq Coulthirst drilled home his second goal of the week from the left hand side of the box. Dorchester though continued to frustrate the Bees and drew level when Brennan Camp headed substitute Tom Blair’s cross into the path of Ben Seymour who dispatched his sixth trophy goal to pull the visitors level. Darren Currie’s reaction was to introduce Wes Fonguck for Dan Sweeney pushing Craig Robson into the back four. It was Robson who proved the match winner heading Elliott Johnson’s left wing cross home with eight minutes remaining.

Bees: Cousins, Reynolds, Alexander, Johnson, Sweeney (Fonguck), Adams, Robson, J.Taylor, Elito (Tutonda), Coulthirst, Mason-Clark (Akinola)

HRB Man of the Match: Craig Robson

Hemel Hempstead 4 WINGATE & FINCHLEY 2

The Blues cup run came to an end at Vauxhall Road. Two goals apiece from Darren Ward and Sanchez Watt looked to have put the game beyond the visitors reach before Sean Cronin scored twice for Wingate in the space of two second half minutes.

Bostik League Premier

POTTERS BAR TOWN 0 Brightlingsea Regent 2

The Scholars have now lost five straight league games after a second half double from Billy Hunt gave the visitors the points.

League Position: 17th

Evo Stik League Premier South

Met Police 3 HENDON 0

Goals from Jack Mazzone, Max Blackmore and Jonathon Hypolite left the Greens without a win since December 1st

League Position: 15th

Spartan South Midlands Premier

EDGWARE TOWN 3 Leverstock Green 1

League Position: 9th

HADLEY 3 Harpenden Town 0

Another excellent performance took the Bricks to the top of the table for the first time. Goals from Ned Clarke, Paul Wright and Luke Alfano gave Hadley their fourth straight league win taking them two points clear of Tring Athletic.

League Position: 1st

The Bees turn from Giant killers to Giants when they entertain Dorchester Town in the second round of the FA Trophy. You can see the Wembley arch from The Hive and the Trophy represents an excellent chance for Barnet to return to the National Stadium for the first time in 46 years. Back in 1972 Ted Heath was in number ten and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards at number one as Stafford Rangers broke Barnet hearts.

Last weeks heroics at Bramall Lane have made the Bees the afocus of national attention with a fourth round FA Cup tie to come against Brentford. Despite his transformation of a previously underachieving squad Darren Currie is still officially Barnet’s Temporary Head Coach but with a record of two wins and a draw fans will be shocked if his permanent appointment is not confirmed shortly. Today Currie will have to decide whether to rest some of his first team against opponents who play their football two levels below his side.

Dorchester have never gone beyond the third round in the competition and have already proved giant killers knocking out National South side Eastbourne Borough in the last round. Despite being 16th in the Evo Stik League Premier South the Magpies are in reasonable form unbeaten in four and arriving fresh from a local derby win against Poole Town. They have already played five games in the Trophy to reach this stage and in Ben Seymour with five goals can boast one of the top scorers in the competition.

We’ll have live commentary on the match from Pete Hill and Garry Lakin at The Hive as well as all the local football news on HRB Saturday Sport from 2:45pm ⚽️⚽️

Dorchester Fact: The Dorset Naga grown in Dorchester is the hottest chilli in the world registering 970,000 on the Scoville Scale