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Barnet v Cambridge United

5.30pm  16 November 2013

Football Conference, Premier Division
Barnet 2 Cambridge United 2 (att 2,853)

I didn't expect to enjoy this experience very much. Conference football no longer feels like non League, it cost £16 to stand behind the goal, £5 to park, and unsmiling stewards in high vis were quick to tell me that I was prohibited from taking photographs of the match.

Yet despite all that it was a decent 90 minutes at Barnet's new home, The Hive in Edgware. No doubt detailed match reports are easily available elsewhere on the web, so I'll summarise but saying Cambridge looked to be coasting at 2-0 up, but Barnet's unlikely fightback meant it was level by half time.

No further goals in the second half, although the home side were unfortunate that an eagle-eyed (or incorrect) linesman ruled the ball had gone out of play just before they bundled home what might have been a late winner.

The last time I visited The Hive was for a Barnet under 18s match on an outside pitch. The stadium then was still and unfinished shell that was originally intended as a home for Wealdstone FC. It made sense for Barnet to develop it as a replacement for Underhill, but it remains to be seen how long they'll stay here.

A consequence of the changes is that Barnet's Youth Alliance side now play elsewhere in the complex, further from the main stadium, so another Saturday morning visit here beckons. The stadium is quite impressive, and more than adequate even for today's higher than usual attendance.

The main stand, next to the railway line, is a good size, while opposite a smaller seated is built onto a building that houses the club offices. Both ends have covered terracing.





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