THEY MAY BE DOMINATING THE Nationwide Conference and within touching distance of a return to the Football League that they left four years ago, but off the field Barnet are still embroiled in a bitter dispute with the local council that threatens to dampen their championship celebrations. Saturday's comprehensive demolition of an inept Farnborough Town, who finished with only eight men, moved them within three victories of securing the league title, but a resolution to their stadium impasse is no nearer resolution.
The archaic facilities and sloping pitch at Underhill fail to comply with Football League regulations. Although they have received a three-year reprieve from the League, they face the real possibility of expulsion if their ground is not upgraded or a new stadium built before the end of that amnesty. Hundreds of supporters marched up Barnet Hill after Saturday's match to remonstrate at the intransigence of Barnet Borough Council.
"Since I arrived 11 years ago we have worked hard on various schemes for a new stadium but nothing has been achieved," Tony Kleanthous, the Barnet chairman, said. The latest proposal, made by Kleanthous 18 months ago, is for a new South Stand to be built at Underhill that would require the council giving permission to build on a 20-metre strip of green-belt land. The combination of green-belt regulations and high land prices locally means that Barnet cannot simply sell off their ground and use the money to buy a cheap out-of-town site to construct a stadium, as many lower-league and non-league clubs have done.
If only the council's opposition was as pathetic as that presented to Barnet on the pitch on Saturday. After they had opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a free kick from Jay Smith, Farnborough were a spent force. A first-half hat-trick from Giuliano Grazioli taking his tally of league goals to 27 for the season that comprised a cheeky steal from Jake Cole, the goalkeeper, a delightful lob and a close-range header, together with a drive from Ben Strevens, ensured Barnet's total supremacy.
Farnborough made three half-time substitutions but were soon in further disarray, with Terry Parker shown a second yellow card for a crude challenge on Ian Hendon and Cole carried off on a stretcher after a collision with Lee Roache. Damian Batt, Roache and Dean Sinclair added to the humiliation before Farnborough's despair was complete when Kevin Hemsley was shown a red card for hauling down Liam Hatch when the striker was clear on goal.
Barnet (4-4-2): S Tynan I Hendon, S King, A Charles, S Clist B Strevens (sub: D Batt, 70min), D Lee (sub: N Bailey, 65), D Sinclair, R Graham G Grazioli (sub: L Roache, 50), L Hatch. Substitutes not used: S Gore, I Yakubu. Booked: Charles. NEXT: Forest Green Rovers (a). FORM: WWWLWL
Farnborough Town (4-4-2): J Cole J Turner, L Miles, K Hemsley, T Parker J Mulhern (sub: B Howe, 46), J Smith, M Rooney, T Taggart (sub: A Theo, 46) C Eribenne, R Traynor (sub: L Blackman, 46). Substitutes not used: M Johnson, J Ashwood. Booked: Parker, Mulhern, Theo. Sent off: Parker, Hemsley. NEXT: Hereford United (h). FORM: LLLLLD
Referee: G Ward
