County’s remarkable recent winning run was extended to nine games down at The Hive, as a second-half double from defender Ryan Johnson helped the league leaders to a 5-0 win against Barnet.
Will Collar’s goal just before half-time gave County a deserved lead after a dominant opening 45 minutes, before strikes from Liam Hogan, Connor Jennings and that Johnson brace saw County maintain their place at the summit of the National League table.
Three of County’s five goals were created by the brilliant delivery of Ryan Rydel, who took his tally of assists for the season to ain incredible 12 after another brilliant display from the 20-year-old.
Johnson was one of two changes made by Dave Challinor going into this one as he came in for Mark Kitching on the left of a back three, making his first league start for the club since joining from Port Vale. Scott Quigley was the other change, as the big man returned from injury after two games out in place of Connor Jennings.
Barnet manager Dean Brennan spoke before the game about wanting to get in the faces of County and make life difficult for Dave Challinor’s side, and they certainly managed that in a scrappy opening 20 minutes that saw both sides struggle to create a meaningful chance.
County gradually started to gain control as the half wore on through the irrepressible midfield trio of Antoni Sarcevic, Will Collar and Ryan Croasdale, and came close to opening the scoring when Hogan glanced Sarcevic’s free-kick delivery wide at the far post.
Paddy Madden then flicked Quigley’s cross just past the post, before Rydel struck the crossbar with a brilliant dipping free-kick as Barnet’s defence began to creak.
It was starting to look like County would end the first half frustrated, as Croasdale was denied a second goal in as many games by a brilliant fingertip save from Barnet ‘keeper Aston Oxborough, diverting his shot onto the crossbar with no-one able to force home the rebound.
The Hatters weren’t to be denied though, as Barnet’s stubborn resistance was broken seconds before the break. Macauley Southam-Hales collected the ball from Quigley before bursting into the penalty area and floating a cross to the far post, where Sarcevic’s header back across goal was nodded in on the line by that man Collar – the midfielder’s seventh goal in his last nine games.
Half-Time: Barnet 0-1 County (Collar, 45′).
Barnet had mustered just one shot, off target, in the first half and wouldn’t muster another for the rest of the game as County set about dominating the second-half, and driving home their superiority in a clinical display.
It took less than ten minutes for Dave Challinor’s side to double the advantage in front of the magnificent travelling support, as Rydel’s in-swinging corner found the run of the unmarked Johnson, who powered his header into the bottom corner.
The Bees simply couldn’t live with the set-piece delivery of Rydel at this point, as another perfect set-piece delivery from the right-hand side found the head of Liam Hogan, who took advantage of some slack Barnet defending to nod home his second of the season.
Heading into stoppage time at 3-0 up, some may have been forgiven for conserving their energy and turning their attention to next week – but not this County side, who finished with a flourish with not one but two late goals.
Two substitutes combined as John Rooney’s quickly taken free-kick found Connor Jennings, who drilled it into the bottom corner, before Johnson capped a fine display by poking home another Rydel delivery to make it a five-star County performance, in front of a vibrant and vocal away end.
Remarkably, that final goal was the 50th County have scored in just 17 games under Dave Challinor, who has overseen a remarkable turnaround in form since Barnet’s 2-1 win at Edgeley Park back in October.
It was also a fifth clean sheet in a row for County, superbly marshalled throughout by that back three of Hogan, Ash Palmer and Johnson, with goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe untroubled throughout. Focus for County now turns to the Cheshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night, before returning to league action next week at home to bottom side Dover Athletic.
Full-time: Barnet 0-5 County (Collar, 45′; Johnson, 54′, 90′; Hogan, 68′; Jennings, 90′)
Team: Hinchliffe; Hogan; Palmer; Johnson; Southam-Hales; Collar; Croasdale; Sarcevic (Rooney, 78′); Rydel; Madden (Jennings, 85′); Quigley (Crankshaw, 73′).
Unused Subs: Kitching, Newby.
Booked: Sarcevic
Photographer: Mike Petch
