Barnet (0) 2 Yakubu 61 Hatch 63
Gillingham (1) 1 Graham 28
Att. 2,843
Entrance: £15
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 152/2,528
Match Report
Gillingham crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle with a woeful second half display at League Two Barnet. What is it about this side that can look half decent at Priestfield and turn into a spineless, gutless rabble as soon as they leave the confines of Medway. Barnet, no great shakes themselves, simply wanted the game more than Gillingham. They cut short their half-time break, came out and rolled up the sleeves. Nothing more, but their endeavour was more than enough to roll over feeble opposition.
Let’s make excuses because that is the only way we can justify the events. Underhill is a crap ground, with a slope that makes it look like the game is being played on Blue Bell Hill. Barnet get small crowds so there is no big game atmosphere, blah, blah. There are no excuses, today was absolutely pathetic, and if Barnet go on to the third round and draw Manchester United (again), the players can only look themselves in the face and say we missed that opportunity because we had no stomach for a fight. If Mark Stimson thought he had less of a challenge with the two lucky draws so far attained, then today showed the true measure of the job.
Gillingham fans, hardly the most critical in the country, reacted to the players at the final whistle with a torrent of abuse that should not have to be directed at their own players, but these imitators deserved every expletive.
Underhill is this season celebrating 100 years of football and the ground looks as though it has seen little change in that time. Even the Football League label it an embarrassment. Plans are in hand to upgrade but at present they are finding the Town Hall a much tougher opponent than Gillingham Football Club.
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