Middlesex F.A. Senior Cup

2nd Round

Tuesday 17th December 2019

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.53

Barnet 1 Staines Town 1 (3-4 pens), attendance 63

9’ 1-0

82’ 1-1

@ The Hive, ATP 1, 3G Pitch

Camrose Avenue

Edgeware

HA8 6AG

No Admission

Programme online only, Team Sheet available 50p, didn’t bother buying.

Car Park £1.

This was my third visit to see a match at The Hive. On 23rd January 2011 I saw London University 1 Cambridge University 2 in a representative match. The match was played on a grass pitch (which now has a stand on the halfway line)on a plateau to the right of what was in those days a part built stadium. The second visit was on 12th November 2013 to see Barnet 0 Welling United 0 in a National League match, with the game on the main stadium. Tonight’s match was being played on ATP 1, which is one of two 3G pitches here, this being the one on the left of the driveway as you enter the complex.

Barnet had tweeted that the match had been switched to this pitch due to the stadium pitch being waterlogged. It was free admission, but viewing was to be “down one side and behind one goal only”. They didn’t say that viewing was to be through the cage though, as they were not allowing anyone to stand inside, and it was only half of one side and goal end where you were allowed to stand. The not too friendly stewards (around one for every half dozen spectators) made sure no one strayed in an attempt to gain some sort of decent view. The ‘ground’ really wasn’t fit to stage a game of this level, with yellow lines in addition to the white pitch markings and some of the dimmest floodlights I have ever seen a match played under.

It is hard to tell what kind of match it really was, as watching through a green mesh fence means you feel like you’re not really part of it and it is like you are detached from what’s going on. A very youthful Barnet team went in front inside ten minutes, with a side footed finish from close range. Staines levelled with eight minutes left, with a superb top corner shot from the edge of the D. Thankfully, straight to penalties. Both teams missed their second kicks, then Barnet missed their fourth as well, meaning Staines converted the last kick to win 3-4 and go through to face Wealdstone in the next round.