Barnet - Away, Withdean Era
Season 2 (A) 26/12/00 - 1-0 ~ Hart
It was Boxing Day and therefore Brighton fans had less than half their usual distance to travel in order to reach 'local' Barnet. The Hertfordshire club was halfway up the div3 table and we were halfway through this season. Every other team had been played once and Brighton had beaten 13 of them. Only five of that remainder registered as losses. Autumn and into winter periods had been particularly wet, although we were still picking up points like piles of fallen leaves after a Sussex gale. Of course, reverses were inevitable and Micky Adams said, 'what these games have done is made a point that we are not yet the finished article. I feel recent results can be partly attributed to the fact we've not been training on grass too often. The grounds-men have been working hard to accommodate us, so I'm looking for improved performances.' Following a tardy start, Albion had produced a couple of unbeaten runs punctuated by the odd defeat. It was time for positive thinking and furthermore additional points.
This was a midday k-o, delayed by 15 minutes to allow a whole bunch of Brighton fans in at Underhill. They say the place is tiny but there's a league sized pitch in the middle and vivid orange on the revamped terraces to highlight the fact. Albion played in home colours and visiting fans made up over half the gate, which was a tad shy of 4000. Zamora was suspended, Steele and Wicks injured but otherwise a familiar line-up took to the slope. It was business as usual when Albion got into stride and used Hart in the BZ role up front. He got the goal that secured another three points, poaching a score from Carpenter's steamer. Watson fired a penalty over while Cullip did some fancy footwork in getting forward to lead an attack. Freeman got on as a sub and might have netted from a late breakaway. He had been out injured for ages and had surgery for hernias. Adams said, 'we did very well and played more like our old selves. This shows the amount of will and determination the lads have and a lot of mental strength. A solid performance from start to finish.'
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Crosby, Mayo, Rogers, Carpenter, Oatway, Jones (Freeman), Brooker (Melton), Hart (Ramsay).
Div 3 (League 2) P 23 . W 15 D 3 L 5 . F 40 A 18 . Pt 48 Po 2

Season 1 (A) 25/3/00 - 1-0 ~ Hart
There was a slope at nineties Underhill, pronounced enough to see many a penalty go over the bar if angles were not taken into account. That apart, the Taylor report condemned ramshackle grounds to reduce capacity considerably in times when div1 clubs became a moneybags Premiership elite. Those lucky few got so much, the rest of us got shafted big time. Barnet went from 9000 to 4000 and nobody thought to tell the flaming taxman. Unlike Albion they hadn't got a 'Goldstone' ground big enough to absorb closing terraces, or a goalkeeper worth 350k. To cut a very long story short, Albion subsequently all but hit rock bottom and somehow ended up at Withdean. Barnet were still stuck with Underhill but couldn't meet a 6000 minimum FL requirement that was now almost bursting the seams in Brighton. The thing about controlling bodies was they regularly did that jobs-worth bit and one day knocked on the door of the last place over-ground on the northern line - but was it really the end? Nimbys and all sorts became involved when a move to Copthall athletics stadium near M1 fiveways corner, went to a public inquiry. By the time BHA got to northern extremities of London A to Z, word was they would be ground sharing at non-league Hendon, not far from M1 end at north circular junction. Well it was Cricklewood really and miles from Barnet proper. Only time would tell.
Micky Adams said, 'everywhere you turned there were Albion fans and the atmosphere created inside Underhill inspired a tremendous team performance. It felt like we were at a home game at times with the noise made. In the past a large away following may have been let down, these players definitely didn't want to let fans down. We have been enjoying good form over the last month or so. It's not about systems of play, styles or formations but the confidence factor. We knew if we kept the faith it would only be a matter of time before what we've seen on the training field was replicated on the big stage. There's still a lot left to play for and we will be fully prepared.'
Walton, Watson, Cullip, Crosby, Mayo, Freeman, Rogers, Oatway (Aspinall), Brooker (Carr), Ramsay, Hart (Ling).
Div 3 (League 2) P 39 . W 15 D 11 L 13 . F 59 A 43 . Pt 56 Po 10

Barnet - Home, Withdean Era
Season 10 (H) 12/8/08 League Cup r1 - 4-0 ~ Virgo 2, Forster, Richards
First of all Micky Adams was back. Second of all he'd been away since 2001 when we were previously playing Barnet in old div3 - see below. Albion were also back at tier three, having twice visited the Championship, while Bees were buzzing about in League2 again. Only 2500 got along for a first home match of any description in '08/9. It didn't rain but the credit crunch had made a dent or two in many fans budgets for sport and leisure. Tickets were discounted but Withdean could be given a miss at best of times, albeit 5 new signings were on show. A new ruling allowed seven subs in full strip. Re-signed old boys Hart and Mayo made up an extended bench, together with retained Sullivan and unsettled Lynch. Adams already knew his regular first 11 and turned 'em out here. It was tough on kids, although they'd got several chances under Wilkins 2 year reign as champion of youth.
Returning Brighton boy Virgo, dived to head home a f-k inside 2 mins. Within half an hour Forster won it with a belter from Murray's assist (28m). Virgo added a third, nodding in McLeod's corner (35m) as Albion charged. Before half time, Richards placed a f-k around the wall (43m) and it was all smiles and frothy coffee in quick succession. McLeod was injured and Adams tinkered with other subs because he could six fold. Murray needed a goal but got two yellows instead as rewards for his efforts. A Barnet bloke nutted him (69m) and later (85m) Muzza took that walk of shame himself for kicking the ball away. Virgo said, 'it's a fantastic start for me. I just needed a manager who believes in me.' B'fans were asking with revolution2 now underway, was Adams the man of the moment yet again?
Kuipers, Whing (Fraser), Elphick, Hawkins, Richards, Cox, Thomson, Virgo, McLeod (Livermore), Forster (Robinson), Murray.

Season 9 (H) 9/10/07 JPT r2 - 2-1 ~ Robinson, Cox
Only just less than 2000 turned up on the night after a day of rain, although it was dry by then. We'd got a bye from round 1 and against a League 2 outfit had a good chance on paper to progress. Brighton were trying to mount a p-o challenge in League 1, while Barnet were going great-guns in their div. They had been in the Conference since we last met but there were still massive probs with their stadium situation - good luck anyway. We'd finally got Falmer approved, so at least had a future to look forward to. Wilkins had the flu so White took over, aided and abetted by first team coach Chapman. He picked an unchanged line-up from half decent league form, which included clean sheets. Both clubs were keen to go as far as they could and Barnet had a useful eleven out, confident on the back of an unbeaten run.
Barnet gave a very good account of themselves and enjoyed equal if not more possession. The football wasn't that bad either and B'ton were on the back foot until scoring on 20 min. Robinson got on the end of a Hammond chip and took it wide of the keeper. A Bees bloke cleared off the line but Ref gave it after Lino flagged. Albion had further chances to extend a lead but didn't go 2 up until just into the second period. Robinson and Cox combined, who hit the bar. They had a touch of head tennis from the rebound and Cox netted. Barnet weren't dead and buried and hit back on the run, although Kuipers diverted it onto the underside of the bar. He did well in goal and stopped visitors getting a shock result. In a frantic end-to-end finish Robinson was denied by Lino's flag but he kept it down when Elder twice got thru - goalie saved both efforts.
Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, El-Abd, Richards, Savage, O'Callaghan (Fraser), Hammond, Cox (Martot), Revell (Elder), Robinson.

Season 2 (H) 14/3/01 - 4-1 ~ Crosby, Zamora 2, Rogers
Micky Adams said, 'as we approach the final quarter of the season, it's very much like the final 100 metres of the 400 metres race. Regardless of what has gone on in the preceding three hundred, you've got to give yourself at least a fighting chance of a medal. Every 400 metre runner will tell you the last one hundred of them is the killer.' While our first team had a way to go to complete their fixtures, Brighton youth teams had wound up their U19 & U17 schedules. Both sides had done extremely well in leagues of 12 and 11 respectively for comparable SE clubs to those at first team level. The older kids finished second and younger ones top of their division. Martin Hinshelwood said, 'we've got players in the youth set-up who will end up in our first team. It's a question of them being patient and taking their chance when the gaffer gives it to them, which I know he will.'
This fixture had originally been pencilled in for mid January but was rubbed out because Brighton didn't have a proper pitch to play on. Barnet were treading water in mid-table rather than on that new Withdean surface, which drained many an opposition outfit whether wet or dry, day or night. An evening match highlighted the difference in playing standard too, where four pace setters were pulling away from the pack. After half an hour Crosby scored with a header. A minute later Zamora converted a Brooker centre. In the second half he got a second to cause a rout after Rogers made it three-nil. Barnet got a penalty to make it slightly more respectable. Brighton fans got wet but there was a certain irony for south-standers who stayed home, warm and dry in January. In four days Albion had hit seven at Withdean to yet again bounce back from defeat and prevent any form of negative sequence developing. In a sense we had to up the ante and win convincingly on the run-in, to avoid a photo finish at the tape.
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Crosby, Mayo, Hart, Rogers (Wilkinson), Carpenter, Broker, Jones (Freeman), Zamora (Stant).
Div 3 (League 2) P 35 . W 22 D 4 L 9 . F 57 A 28 . Pt 70 Po 2

Season 1 (H) 26/12/99 - 1-1 ~ Watson
Several things were happening, or about to happen on this date. Sussex people generally could now watch their favourite team at Xmas, for the first time for quite a while in a closer temporary locality. It was also the last match at 'home' in the old century and we could look forward to another first there soon, in that forthcoming millennium. This match represented halfway through a homecoming season for fixtures at Withdean, where things were slightly in balance results-wise. An added attraction appeared to be playing table topping Barnet, rather than bottom club Orient from a choice of two 'local' derbies. A reversal of fortunes overtook these greater London clubs on '98/99 form, when Orient made play-offs and Barnet completed their year glued to Brighton in lower table depths. Nine months prior to today, Barnet had visited Priestfield and gone back round that M25 loop with three points. Not long afterwards Dick Knight woke up in a Sweat but not only from Withdean residents opposing conversion of an athletics stadium. A series of losses was leading to a potential deja vu of gory years, so Knight decided to turn the clock forward. Micky Adams liked a challenge and would relish repeating past success, therefore bought-in to a Falmer dream.
Darren Currie played for Barnet and long before ending up years later for a short spell at Brighton, the 25yo was recognised as a lower league playmaker. Meanwhile Albion had signed Lorenzo Pinamonte from Foggia via Bristol City and the 21yo tall Italian went straight into attack. This match was in serious doubt of postponement, in early days when rain meant pools of water on our green but cloying surface. Adams personally er, pitched in to make it playable. In an entertaining affair, a Boxing Day clock ticked from midday kick-off and was fast approaching 1.40pm with no goals on the scoreboard. Many Brighton fans still remember Barnet's goal, as their guy took a punt from at least thirty yards and guess what? Pinamonte was half decent at being a target man and could lay-off a ball satisfactorily. Unfortunately Albion were missing chances in open play developed from such build-up. Thankfully up stepped Watson to equalise with a late free kick.
Walton, Watson, Cullip, Crosby, McPherson, Mayo, Rogers, Oatway, Aspinall (Cameron), Hart (Ramsay), Pinamonte.
Div 3 (League 2) P 22 . W 7 D 7 L 8 . F 31 A 27 Pt 28 Po 16