Barnet 0 Carlisle 0

FA Cup first round

Barnet manager John Still and his Carlisle counterpart Roddy Collins both wore smiles of satisfaction after this keenly-contested FA Cup clash ended all square.

Still said: "We could have scored two or three goals. But I was pleased with our play against a Third Division side that have drawn at Oxford and Leyton Orient this season. It was a good, strong cup-tie with both sides highly committed.

"We've done well away lately, and I am looking forward to the replay."

Collins commented: "It's seldom easy when you go away in the Cup. Barnet were better than half the sides we have met in Division Three this season.

"They destroyed us in the first 20 minutes, and although we had a good spell late in the first half, we were again under the cosh and did well to hold on in the last ten minutes."

Signs are that the replay could be another low-scoring affair.

Goal-shy Carlisle have managed only 15 in 18 league matches, and Barnet's central defence combination of Greg Heald and Mark Arber have been in such commanding form this season that United are unlikely to get many opportunities.

Equally, the duo at the heart of Carlisle's rearguard, Lee Andrews and David Rogers appear formidable. Andrews dealt admirably with the threat from dashing Wayne Purser and was man of the match.

Barnet had their chances. The best opportunity of the first half fell to Ben Strevens after 23 minutes, when he latched on to one of many excellent through balls from Leon Bell, but hesitated, enabling keeper Peter Keen to block his effort.

Carlisle enjoyed a good 15-minute spell before the interval, when Richie Foran forced a good save from Lee Harrison.

It was again one-way traffic for most of the second half.

Purser's powerful shot was blocked by Roger, and Mark Gower, Strevens, and Heald were all denied by keeper Keen.

In the dying minutes, the seal was set on Barnet's frustrating afternoon, when substitute Neil Midgley's goalbound header was cleared off the line by defender Mark Winstanley, and Strevens was again foiled by a good save from Keen.

BARNET: Harrison, Gledhill, Heald, Arber, Flynn, Niven, Sawyers, Bell (Midgley 77) Gower, Strevens, Purser. Subs not used: Naisbitt, Toms, Pluck, Taylor. Attendance: 2,277. Man of the match: Leon Bell.

November 21, 2001 19:14

JOHN POLLARD