Report by John Lomas
Mansfield Chad
Mansfield Chad
RICHIE Barker finally ended Mansfield Town's away goal drought after 445 miserable minutes at Underhill this afternoon.
But his 84th minute strike came too late to save the Stags from another defeat as Barnet leapfrogged Stags to push them closer to the wrong end of League Two.
The game was almost like watching a re-run of the recent Bury home game.
The first half belonged to the Stags and it could all have been so different if Matt Hamshaw's first minute effort had not come back off the post.
Home keeper Lee Harrison also made three good first half saves to keep Mansfield at bay before Barnet grabbed an unlikely lead through Ismail Yakubu in first half stoppage time.
As in their previous two games, Mansfield were then stung by a killer second goal early in the second half, this time Adam Gross netting on 54 minutes.
And that came after Simon Brown had forced a save from Harison within seconds of the restart.
Disappointingly Stags struggled to seriously test Harrison in the second half and Barker's strike - his 14th of the season - was too little too late on a disappointing afternoon in the capital for the 198 away Stags supporters.
Mansfield made three changes from the side knocked out of the FA Cup at Doncaster in midweek.
White replaced Muggleton in goal and had an excellent game, making some good saves, Mullins filled in for the injured Jake Buxton at right back and Beardsley came in to partner Barker up front.
Arnold was relegated to the bench and Brown switched to wide right with Hamshaw again starting on the left.
Michael Boulding was left out of the 16 altogether with recent signing Charlton back among the substitutes.
Barnet were down to one recognised striker with on-loan Stags Adam Birchall not permitted to play against his parent club.
It was an uphill task from the start for the Stags as Barnet kicked off playing down the famous Underhill slope.
But they were almost off to a dream start as within the first 40 seconds Brown crossed from the right, Beardsley flicked on to Hamshaw and he cut inside a defender before curling a 16 yard shot that came back off the right post.
Warhurst was well wide with a hopeful effort from long range after a White kick had been headed straight back downfield with the keeper well out of position.
The early stages were very scrappy with no further chances though Hamshaw did try his luck from a very wide position on the right and the ball drifted wide of the far post.
White was down smartly to smother a Vieira through ball before Warhurst could capitalise.
Harrison pulled off a good save on 19 minutes as Beardsley got in a fierce shot on the turn from 12 yards.
Beardsley forced another good save from Harrison with a thumping shot after good work from Coke and Hamshaw but an offside flag was raised anyway.
With Yakuba off for treatment to a head wound, Coke blazed a hopeful effort well over from 30 yards.
On 32 minutes Harrison twice rescued Barnet from Mansfield's second corner. Hamshaw's kick was met by an Mullins header which he parried and then was back in position to smother Beardsley's on-target follow-up.
Two minutes later, after another Stags corner was worked short to Hamshaw, he found Hjelde who set up Coke for a powerful low shot that skidded wide of the far post through a crowd of players.
White finally had a save to make on 36 minutes as he got down to his right to parry a low 18 yard Sinclair effort.
And the young keeper again did well five minutes later as Vieira played a one-two with Puncheon to get into the box only to se White get a vital touch on his finish and send it wide.
But it was a couple of scares for Stags at the end of a half in which they had totally dominated and should have led.
Barker might have done better with a free header on 43 minutes from a Hamshaw free kick which he ended up sending towards the far post across goal rather than on target.
But amazingly Mansfield went into the break a goal behind as Barnet netted from a stoppage time corner.
Puncheon sent it over from the right and Yakabu rose superbly to plant a powerful header past White and punish the visitors for failing to capitalise on their earlier dominance.
Brown got away a firm on-target first time shot in the opening minute of the second half which Harrison was safely behind.
Barnet then threatened with a low Graham cross that went right across the face of goal.
Puncheon did well to get away from Mullins down the left and cross for Vieira who was too high with his header.
Stags suddenly found themselves 2-0 down on 54 minutes. Coke completely missed his clearance just inside the box as Warhurst flicked the bal to Gross to bury a finish from eight yards.
It might have been 3-0 three minutes later as Vieira found himself onside as a long King clearance caught the visiting defence square. The Brazilian looked surprised to be through and a moment's hesitation was all White needed to stand up to him and block his finish.
Stags made a change up front on 65 as Reet replaced Beardsley.
Two minutes later Barnet broke from a spell of Mansfield pressure and Hendon raced down the right before crossing long to Puncheon whose first time shot was saved by White.
Reet neatly chested down a long Jelleyman cross but sliced the ball wide as it dropped as Mansfield desperately searched for that elusive away goal with only 15 minutes to play.
Midfielder Cogan replaced striker Vieira for the last 11 minutes.
Then Sinclair set up Puncheon for a firm low shot that Hjelde blocked.
Coke was shown the yellow card for a late tackle on Sinclair and a minute later was replaced by Lloyd.
With just six minutes to go Barker handed Stags a lifeline with a powerful eight yard header on the end of a Hamshaw free kick.
Puncheon almost sealed the home side's win on 88 with a dipping shot that flew inches over.
Bailey also tested White from 20 yards but again White was there.
Mansfield pressed hard at the end but Barnet hung on for the victory.
But his 84th minute strike came too late to save the Stags from another defeat as Barnet leapfrogged Stags to push them closer to the wrong end of League Two.
The game was almost like watching a re-run of the recent Bury home game.
The first half belonged to the Stags and it could all have been so different if Matt Hamshaw's first minute effort had not come back off the post.
Home keeper Lee Harrison also made three good first half saves to keep Mansfield at bay before Barnet grabbed an unlikely lead through Ismail Yakubu in first half stoppage time.
As in their previous two games, Mansfield were then stung by a killer second goal early in the second half, this time Adam Gross netting on 54 minutes.
And that came after Simon Brown had forced a save from Harison within seconds of the restart.
Disappointingly Stags struggled to seriously test Harrison in the second half and Barker's strike - his 14th of the season - was too little too late on a disappointing afternoon in the capital for the 198 away Stags supporters.
Mansfield made three changes from the side knocked out of the FA Cup at Doncaster in midweek.
White replaced Muggleton in goal and had an excellent game, making some good saves, Mullins filled in for the injured Jake Buxton at right back and Beardsley came in to partner Barker up front.
Arnold was relegated to the bench and Brown switched to wide right with Hamshaw again starting on the left.
Michael Boulding was left out of the 16 altogether with recent signing Charlton back among the substitutes.
Barnet were down to one recognised striker with on-loan Stags Adam Birchall not permitted to play against his parent club.
It was an uphill task from the start for the Stags as Barnet kicked off playing down the famous Underhill slope.
But they were almost off to a dream start as within the first 40 seconds Brown crossed from the right, Beardsley flicked on to Hamshaw and he cut inside a defender before curling a 16 yard shot that came back off the right post.
Warhurst was well wide with a hopeful effort from long range after a White kick had been headed straight back downfield with the keeper well out of position.
The early stages were very scrappy with no further chances though Hamshaw did try his luck from a very wide position on the right and the ball drifted wide of the far post.
White was down smartly to smother a Vieira through ball before Warhurst could capitalise.
Harrison pulled off a good save on 19 minutes as Beardsley got in a fierce shot on the turn from 12 yards.
Beardsley forced another good save from Harrison with a thumping shot after good work from Coke and Hamshaw but an offside flag was raised anyway.
With Yakuba off for treatment to a head wound, Coke blazed a hopeful effort well over from 30 yards.
On 32 minutes Harrison twice rescued Barnet from Mansfield's second corner. Hamshaw's kick was met by an Mullins header which he parried and then was back in position to smother Beardsley's on-target follow-up.
Two minutes later, after another Stags corner was worked short to Hamshaw, he found Hjelde who set up Coke for a powerful low shot that skidded wide of the far post through a crowd of players.
White finally had a save to make on 36 minutes as he got down to his right to parry a low 18 yard Sinclair effort.
And the young keeper again did well five minutes later as Vieira played a one-two with Puncheon to get into the box only to se White get a vital touch on his finish and send it wide.
But it was a couple of scares for Stags at the end of a half in which they had totally dominated and should have led.
Barker might have done better with a free header on 43 minutes from a Hamshaw free kick which he ended up sending towards the far post across goal rather than on target.
But amazingly Mansfield went into the break a goal behind as Barnet netted from a stoppage time corner.
Puncheon sent it over from the right and Yakabu rose superbly to plant a powerful header past White and punish the visitors for failing to capitalise on their earlier dominance.
Brown got away a firm on-target first time shot in the opening minute of the second half which Harrison was safely behind.
Barnet then threatened with a low Graham cross that went right across the face of goal.
Puncheon did well to get away from Mullins down the left and cross for Vieira who was too high with his header.
Stags suddenly found themselves 2-0 down on 54 minutes. Coke completely missed his clearance just inside the box as Warhurst flicked the bal to Gross to bury a finish from eight yards.
It might have been 3-0 three minutes later as Vieira found himself onside as a long King clearance caught the visiting defence square. The Brazilian looked surprised to be through and a moment's hesitation was all White needed to stand up to him and block his finish.
Stags made a change up front on 65 as Reet replaced Beardsley.
Two minutes later Barnet broke from a spell of Mansfield pressure and Hendon raced down the right before crossing long to Puncheon whose first time shot was saved by White.
Reet neatly chested down a long Jelleyman cross but sliced the ball wide as it dropped as Mansfield desperately searched for that elusive away goal with only 15 minutes to play.
Midfielder Cogan replaced striker Vieira for the last 11 minutes.
Then Sinclair set up Puncheon for a firm low shot that Hjelde blocked.
Coke was shown the yellow card for a late tackle on Sinclair and a minute later was replaced by Lloyd.
With just six minutes to go Barker handed Stags a lifeline with a powerful eight yard header on the end of a Hamshaw free kick.
Puncheon almost sealed the home side's win on 88 with a dipping shot that flew inches over.
Bailey also tested White from 20 yards but again White was there.
Mansfield pressed hard at the end but Barnet hung on for the victory.
