After a surprisingly enjoyable preseason including abandonments at Dunstable, the brief return of Mauro Vilhete and beating a fairly strong Norwich side amongst others, it was time for yet another season in the fifth tier of English football to commence. This time, there was only one aim, promotion, ideally by claiming our fourth National league title.
It started with a tricky game at home versus Hartlepool, a recently relegated side, and one eyeing a speedy return to league football. However, we simply looked sharper on the day and won 3-2. A game I followed from the apartment my family and I stayed in on our holiday in Nice. National League TV was largely reliable apart from the fact that it cut off midway through the second half and I therefore missed Danny Collinge scoring our 3rd goal. Modern technology hey?
This was followed by a trip to the south side of the river and Bromley FC, the game falling in an eerily similar time to the one in the 2021/22 season. Thankfully Harry Kewell was nowhere to be seen at this season’s installment. Unlike that dark day, we were most comfortable and won 2-0. I followed it from Nice on the last night of our holiday and celebrated when the news of our goals filtered though. 6 points from our first two games was most satisfactory.
My return home coincided with Eastleigh away, a game I attended with my uncle who lives nearby. To be back in a Barnet away end felt most special, and it was one of the best I’ve ever been in. We were sparkling at times but somehow contrived to chuck away a 3-0 lead and there was a real sense of frustration as we departed the away end that a few minutes beforehand was alive with the sound of Alice Deejay’s ‘Back in my life’ and other songs. The rollercoaster nature of football never dies.
However, the following Saturday was most relaxing as we hosted Woking at home and won 2-0. It was a most fun afternoon in the sunshine as Zak Brunt ran the show, the defence looked impenetrable and Kabamba looked every inch the 20 goal a season striker I predicted him to be. I left the ground in one of the most positive states about Barnet I’ve been in in a long time, I strode through the underground on my way home with the confidence of a man whose team had just brushed aside a purported promotion candidate.
Frankly, I should have known better as the next week, we ventured to Dagenham and Redbridge away and lost 1-0. It was a flat performance, one of little threat and defensive vulnerability. It was quite fitting that as we all left the ground, rain fell heavily and the pathetic fallacy of the reality of 5th tier football set in. The game was grim and one that won’t be remembered. Bank Holiday Monday, however, was far more run. We hosted Ebbsfleet United and returned to our winning ways with a 3-2 victory. One that should have been far more comfortable, the 6 minutes of injury time were torturous and tense.
However to focus on this would be to rob Kabamba of a well-deserved mention. He scored a hat-trick and reminded me of 2014-15 John Akinde with his unrelenting bullying of defenders, ruthlessness in front of goal and undying work rate. He’s so far this season, been excellent and we’re truly lucky to have him.
After Ebbsfleet came the return of a fixture that refuses to leave us; Boreham Wood away at Meadow Park. However, this time, it fell under the September sunshine rather than the cold snap of the winter. There were 815 bees packed into the terrace and seated area at the ramshackle ground that Boreham Wood play at, and we dominated a lot of the ball but failed to find the winner and at half time, it looked like it was going to play out like the rest of our visits there. However, on the 76th minute, our luck changed and via a corner, our newest defender, Adebola Oluwo rose highest and headed in prompting utter joy and pandemonium behind the goal. These were scenes of the highest ilk with smoke bombs going off, fans all over the shop, and the players embracing fans and fans embracing players alike.
We saw out the rest of the game pretty comfortably and exited the ground top of the league. What a feeling it was, one of the best I’ve ever had leaving a football ground. It confirmed to me that this club and team are going places and the connection shown by the players racing over to the fans, between players and fans, has never been stronger. The club has been transformed by Dean Brennan and right now, he is masterminding a perfect season. ‘Back in my life’ by Alice Deejay will continue to sound around the grounds if this continues. There is a long way to go but we can start dreaming now, right?
Following the win in Hertfordshire, came a tricky game at home against Altrincham amidst a sweltering sun. Thankfully, we put in our best performance of the season and won 3-0 comfortably. The second goal scored by Zak Brunt was particularly delectable and a show of our undeniable quality. This only added to the goodness around the team currently and why can’t it continue?
After a tricky start, we have a slightly more generous run of fixtures coming up So the position we could be in by the time Chesterfield away rolls around is too exciting not to think about.
Something’s happening here, time to start dreaming,
You Bees x
N Rowland Sports Writer 
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