ROBINS DENIED WIN BY A GOAL FROM LEE

10:30 - 03 September 2005
Cheltenham Town were denied Coca-Cola League Two victory last night by Dwayne Lee.

Boss John Ward's men stretched their unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions this season, but Lee denied them an extra two points. Cheltenham went into the match at Whaddon Road without a defeat in six league matches this campaign - they also beat Brentford 5-0 in the Carling Cup first round on August 23 - and captain John Finnigan looked to have put them on course for their third league win of the season.

Central midfielder Finnigan scored with a header three minutes before half-time to add to the goal he scored in time added on to rescue a point against Leyton Orient at Whaddon Road seven days ago, but tough-tackling Barnet, who went into the game after successive league defeats by Grimsby Town (1-0) and Wrexham (3-1), drew level with a 25-yard strike by Lee in the 56th minute.

Ward stuck with the 4-5-1 line-up he used in the 0-0 draw at Wycombe Wanderers four days ago, which meant Odejayi continued as the striker and Damian Spencer sat on the bench.

Finnigan gave Barnet, who used a 4-5-1 line-up too, an early opening.

His loose pass went to midfielder Nick Bailey, but his shot from 25 yards went wide.

Odejayi earned Cheltenham a free-kick inside the first 10 minutes when he was jumped over by Simon King and Grant McCann's shot went round the wall but straight to goalkeeper Ben Flitney.

Cheltenham goalkeeper Shane Higgs did well to block a close-range shot by Ismail Yakubu and central defender Michael Townsend twice showed his composure in taking the ball away from trouble as Barnet looked for an early goal.

They lost Yakubu with a leg injury after 18 minutes, when he was replaced by Damian Batt.

JJ Melligan hit a 20-yard shot to Flitney, before the goalkeeper's long kick sent Lewis Soares away for a shot which was deflected for a corner.

Cheltenham's efforts to get Melligan free on the right flank were often ended by Batt's strong tackling.

The game burst into action when Michael Rose played a corner short to Melligan, whose cross was headed by Townsend and the ffort forced an excellent tip-over save by Flitney in the 27th minute.

From the resulting corner, Michael Taylor's header grazed the top of the bar and Cheltenham went close again on 30 minutes.

A ball played over the top by Melligan put Odejayi clear and the odds were on him adding to his two league goals this season, but Flitney left his line quickly and stuck out a foot to take the ball and stop the forward going past him.

Brian Wilson took the ball out defence for Cheltenham before failing to find Rose, giving Ian Hendon the chance to shoot wide from 25 yards.

Wilson shot wildly high when he raced on to a ball punched out by Flitney from McCann's corner.

Barnet threatened when Richard Graham sent a through pass inside Taylor and Guiliano Grazioli got a toe end to the ball just as Higgs arrived to stop it.

The deadlock was broken in the 42nd minute when Odejayi put Melligan clear on the right side and Finnigan, running fast, headed his cross beyond Flitney.

The half ended with a 25-yard free-kick by McCann flying past Flitney's left post.

Graham turned and shot to Higgs early in the second half before Barnet nearly conceded a second.

Odejayi robbed a dithering Anthony Charles on the edge of the area, but Flitney rushed out to block the former Forest Green Rovers striker's shot.

McCann reached the loose ball and aimed a measured shot goalwards, but Flitney, still on the ground, twisted to punch the ball away.

Charles almost put Barnet level with a header from a corner which Higgs parried and Bailey's efforts to turn the ball in at the far post were thwarted by a scrambling defence.

Barnet scored when Lee, almost 30 yards out, sent a shot inside Higgs' far post. Lee fired high from long range and in the 58th minute Rose was replaced by Ashley Vincent on the left side the of midfield.

Odejayi flicked on McCann's ball upfield and Melligan shot to Flitney, while Vincent missed out when he hooked a cross by Melligan over the bar from close range.

Spencer was sent on for Jerry Gill in the 58th minute, with Wilson dropping back to right-back as Cheltenham switched to a 4-4-2 formation.

Spencer went close after Odejayi had headed on a long kick by Higgs, who was soon saving sharply from Dean Sinclair on the left.

Higgs fell on another shot by Sinclair and Barnet kept up the pressure, with Soares shooting at the goalkeeper for Barnet's seventh on-target shot of the half.

It was nearly a win for Cheltenham when Spencer met an Odejayi flick-on with a volley from 18 yards that hit the far post in the 85th minute.

Barnet's Bailey was booked for bringing down Vincent 22 yards out and McCann's free-kick went low past a post.

Simon King's tackle in the box denied Odejayi and Sinclair shot over with an 18-yard shot.

Cheltenham Town: Higgs, Gill (Spencer 68), Taylor, Townsend, Victory, Wilson, Melligan, Finnigan, McCann, Rose (Vincent 58), Odejayi. Other subs, Caines, Brown, Bird.

Barnet: Flitney, Hendon, King, Yakubu (Batt 18), Soares, Graham, Bailey, Sinclair, Lee, Charles, Grazioli. Other subs, Strevens, Roache, Tynan, Flitney.

Referee: Darren Deadman. Attendance: 3,343.
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