GREAT MATCHES - HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1993/94


HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1-2 BARNET
Endsleigh League Division Three - 16th October 1993
Attendance 5,614


Imagine waiting until October for the first league point of the season? 
Let me set the scene - we were watching Jurassic Park and Schindler's List at Barnet Odeon, and England's greatest ever defender Bobby Moore had recently passed away.

In 1993 invariably one kept looking at the league table hoping that there had been some mistake and that the team hadn’t really Played 10 Won 0 Drew 0 Lost 10 Goals For 7 Against 30 Points 0. Imagine then the euphoria of the first league win of the season? To compound this misery off the pitch the club was in a state of turmoil with the ongoing ownership battle, the transfer embargo which was still in force, the Police insisting that all home matches be made all ticket due to the condition of the stadium, The Akash Tandoori in Potters Bar closed down – I could go on, it was a very tough times. However we had changed the shirts to some rather snazzy and traditional stripes.


The week before the trip to Huddersfield Barnet had secured a 0-0 draw and that first point against Cardiff City at Underhill in one of the drabbest games I have ever witnessed in all my years. However it was a triumph and much joy was had in the Queens Arms and during the mini pub crawl around Barnet High Street with a few of the players that Sunday evening!

Huddersfield like ourselves were also struggling in the lower reaches of the table but were strong favourites to register Barnet’s 11th defeat. The first period ended in stalemate but early into the second half it looked like the same old story. Alan Walker allowed Iain Dunn to go one on one with Gary Phillips, he squared to Mark Wells who had the easy task of stroking the ball home. Barnet levelled the game through an unlikely source in Tony Finnigan after 56 minutes. Geoff Cooper’s left wing cross was headed past Steve Francis in the Town goal. 
Tony Finnigan

Almost immediately Finnigan, full of adrenaline no doubt, picked up his second yellow card and trooped off for an early bath leaving Barnet to battle the final half hour with 10 men. The moment came as Phillips cleared long and ironically, as believe it or not route one football was not Manager Phillip’s style at all, the ball fell perfectly for Kelly Haag to slip it under Francis for 2-1. It took a few seconds to register with the hardy bunch of travellers that we were ahead but it was a special feeling. It is fair to report that Huddersfield then threw everything at the Bees defence but it doggedly held firm. When the final whistle went……..well you should have been there!
Kelly Haag

The season was ultimately to be one of huge disappointment as the club were relegated back to Division 3 finishing with 28 points from 46 games. Considering the start to the season not a bad return. Tough times, yes but as you have just read there were some good times too!



Barnet : Gary Phillips, Paul Wilson, Paul Haylock,Carl Hoddle, Alan Walker, David Barnett, Brian Marwood, Geoff Cooper, Kelly Haag, Tony Finnigan and Tim Alexander




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