Barnet reply was pivotal in game finishing say Hatters

Barnet pulling a goal back midway through the second half could have been key in Wednesday’s match actually reaching a conclusion according to Town’s stars, writes Mark Wood.
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With Luton leading 2-0 and the Kenilworth Road pitch seemingly unplayable, Barnet’s players continually questioned the ability of the game to continue during the second half.

Their supporters also voiced their displeasure during the second half, but Jake Hyde’s second half reply suddenly changed the focus of the match back to football rather than the weather.

Skipper Ronnie Henry said: “They obviously wanted it to be called off. I don’t blame them, we would if we were in that situation. But they got a goal and I think they must thought, ‘ooh, hold on a minute, we could probably get something out of this game’, and that probably passed another five or 10 minutes and the game was over then and three points to us so well done to everyone.

“Disappointed not to get a clean sheet, but maybe their goal helped the game carry on, I don’t know.”

Striker Paul Benson revealed there was a constant barrage from the Barnet players for the game to be called off, saying: “As soon as we came out second half right up until the ref picked the ball up and was seriously contemplating calling it off, the Barnet players were on him saying ‘you’ve got to call this off, it’s ridiculous’. So there was always that pressure on him to do that.

“But as soon as they scored they thought ‘hang on, we’re in a game here, we could get something out of it’. And by that time another 10 minutes goes on and after 80 minutes you’re not calling the game off after that time.

“Fair play to the ref, but had we been 2-0 down we would probably have been doing the same.”

However, he asserted it wasn’t every Barnet player and admitted Town’s stars would have probably done the same if roles were reversed.

He added: “I don’t think it was all the Barnet players, but I honestly haven’t got a problem with any of the Barnet players asking for the game to be called off because everyone saw it wasn’t really playable. There were areas where you literally couldn’t take a touch of the ball.

“I think there were two areas where you could play and they were on the far sides where Andre (Gray) was always getting in. Apart from the it was a lottery, I have absolutely no complaints with what the Barnet players were doing, we would probably have done the same in a similar situation. I don’t know if you can go as far as saying farcical, but it was very, very hard to get any sort of football involved.”