Boxing Day joy for Bees

4:58pm Monday 26th December 2005

Barnet 2 Peterborough United 1 . . .

Barnet manager Paul Fairclough praised his players for finishing the job at Underhill this afternoon.

Dwane Lee headed what turned out to be the winner on 63 minutes, and the Bees held on to get their busy Christmas schedule off to the best possible start.

Fairclough said: "It was important we didn't choke when we went 2-1 up. The players showed tremendous character."

He is now hoping the team can build on this.

"There's no reason why we can't go on a formidable run. This gives us a platform," he said.

And Barnet had to do it the hard way when Posh took the lead on 13 minutes. Ismail Yakubu was off balance as he tried to deal with a Ryan Semple cross and only teed the ball up for Danny Crow to pick his spot from all of eight yards.

The Bees played their part in what was a feisty and entertaining first half. They almost equalised on 25 minutes when Paulo Vernazza saw a first-time shot palmed away by Mark Tyler, while a minute later Lee drove across the face of the goal following an Anthony Charles cross.

The goal finally came ten minutes before the interval and through an unlikely source. A Nicky Bailey shot deflected into the path of an unmarked Lee at the far post and, as everyone expected him to shoot, the midfielder unselfishly rolled the ball across the area to Yakubu, who slotted home through a crowded six-yard box.

Peterborough should have regained the lead just before the break, but Crow slipped the ball past the advancing Ross Flitney and inches wide when through on goal.

Barnet took control in the second half and were the much more positive of the two teams.

Their reward came just after the hour. Louie Soares played a short corner to Ian Hendon who hit a superb cross into the box and Lee guided the ball past Tyler with his head.

Posh had created little in the second half, but were forced to push forward in the closing stages.

And they should have equalised a minute from time, but sub Adam Newton blazed over from close range following a corner.

The ball should have been buried, but it would have been cruel on the Bees, who had done more than enough to deserve all three points.

BARNET (4-4-2): Flitney: Hendon, Yakubu, King, Charles (Clist 27); Soares (Strevens 86), Lee, Vernazza, Bailey; Grazioli (Hatch 45), Norville. Subs not used: Tynan, Sinclair.

Attendance: 2,715.

Best Bee: Dwane Lee.