Away Memories
Martyn Ashmead recalls a day at Barnet

Barnet 0 Exeter 1.

Saturday 27 February 1999

Referee: LE Cable

Attendance 2072

One of the things I love about going to away matches is to stand at the away end with the other die-hard Exeter City fans. The atmosphere can be even better than at home matches; as often the supporters who are prepared to make a bit of noise congregate together. I love the songs and the banter with the away supporters. There often seems to be a little less moaning and criticism of the team, perhaps because there is less expectation of victory. However, it wasn't until the 1990s that ever stood at the away end, but I stood with the home fans (quietly usually!)

On the 27th February 1999 I was back with the opposition's supporters at Underhill, Barnet, attending the match with a Barnet supporting friend of mine. Underhill will long continue to be a favourite ground of mine, as it was so easy to reach from my home in Southampton and I was privileged enough to see Barnet's first league match of all time, at home to Crewe Alexandra, losing an incredible match 4-7! The ground never lost that non-league feel, being a ramshackle collection of terracing, the away end having temporary seating, but no cover.

I enjoyed listening in to the Barnet supporters' conversation, that is when I could hear them above the very vociferous 350 Exeter City fans. The very problems we face, year in year out, are common to all the smaller clubs. The fans were moaning about the lack of quality of their players, the inability to attract good players even on loan, the manager's team selection, the lack of substitutions at the right time and the fact that their poor ground could condemn them back into the Conference as it was not up to league standard. The grass was greener at Exeter, where they had a manager (Foxy) who had steered the side to one defeat in ten, where they were developing their ground and had managed to get good players on loan like Paul Tosh who was making his
debut. I  certainly had an eye opener that afternoon! Perhaps the Barnet fans had a right to moan about their performance that afternoon as City dominated the proceedings, and indeed it was Paul Tosh who scored the only goal of the game after some excellent work from Darran Rowbotham. Despite City's dominance, Barnet almost scored an undeserved equaliser from a penalty, but the in-form. Ashley Bayes guessed correctly and dived to his left to save Ken Charlery's under hit spot kick. Charlery is now of course with today's visitors Dagenham & Redbridge. It left me wondering about how tight the margin between success and failure is. No doubt Barnet supporters were thinking the same two years later when Alex Ingelthorpe's 92nd minute goal at The Park propelled Barnet towards the end of their short-lived league status.

Teams:
Barnet:
Lee Harrison, Sam Stockley (Sean Devine), Darran Currie, Mike Basham, Greg. Heald, Mark Arber, Steve Searle, John Doolan, Ken Charlery, Marlon King, Paul Wilson (Steve Barnes)

Exeter City:
Ashley Bayes, Paul Tosh, Shaun Gale, Lee Baddeley, Jon Richardson, Jon Gittens, Darran Rowbotham, Jason Rees, Steve Flack, Chris Holloway, Jimmy Gardner.