Barnet snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory against Altrincham deep into injury time at The Hive Stadium in a pulsating National League encounter. The Bees left it late, but a 92nd-minute winner from substitute Rhys Browne sparked wild celebrations amongst the home faithful.
Altrincham drew first blood in the 14th minute. A well-constructed move culminated in Regan Linney providing the assist for Justin Amaluzor to finish and give the visitors the early advantage. Altrincham looked comfortable in the opening exchanges, controlling possession and frustrating Barnet’s attempts to carve out clear opportunities.
However, the Bees responded in the 27th minute. Zak Brunt’s incisive pass found Harry Chapman, who finished with aplomb to level the scores. The goal breathed new life into Barnet, and the remainder of the first half became a much more even contest, with both sides exchanging attacks and the intensity steadily increasing. This heightened intensity resulted in Brunt receiving a yellow card for a foul towards the end of the half.
The second half continued in a similar vein, with both teams battling for control in midfield. Yellow cards became a recurring feature. Mark Shelton was booked for Barnet, while Edward Jones received a caution for Altrincham early in the second period. The increasingly frantic nature of the game saw Joseph Rye and Amaluzor also booked around the hour mark.
Both managers looked to their benches for inspiration, with Altrincham introducing fresh legs in attack and midfield. Barnet also made changes, and the introduction of Jordan Cropper and Rhys Browne proved decisive.
Deep into injury time, with the match seemingly destined for a draw, Barnet launched one final attack. Cropper delivered a pinpoint cross to Browne, who calmly slotted the ball home, sending The Hive into delirium.
The final whistle blew shortly after the restart, confirming Barnet’s dramatic victory. The result moves Barnet up to sixth in the National League table with 15 points, while Altrincham remain in 16th place with 10 points. The two sides have a closely contested history, having met four times in recent seasons, with two wins apiece.