Barnet edged a thrilling National League encounter against Rochdale at The Hive Stadium, securing a vital 2-1 victory. The Bees took an early lead in the sixth minute, capitalising on a defensive lapse. Nicke Kabamba, a constant menace throughout the match, reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area, firing home to the delight of the home supporters. Rochdale, struggling to establish any fluency in their play, suffered a further setback shortly before half-time. A well-worked passing move culminated in Ryan Glover squaring the ball to Ben Coker, who calmly slotted the ball past the Rochdale goalkeeper to double Barnet’s advantage. Barnet manager Dean Brennan further underlined his attacking intent with a tactical substitution in the 38th minute, introducing Callum Stead to bolster the forward line. Rochdale also made a change at the interval, seeking to inject some much-needed dynamism into their midfield.
The second half witnessed a rejuvenated Rochdale side emerge, pressing forward with renewed purpose. Barnet, however, defended resolutely, repelling a number of promising Rochdale attacks. The visitors’ persistence finally paid off in the 70th minute. Substitute Ian Henderson, introduced just five minutes earlier, made an instant impact, heading home to halve the deficit and ignite the away support. The goal set up a tense final 20 minutes. Both sides made further substitutions as they sought to gain the upper hand in the closing stages. Goalscorer Coker made way for Barnet, while Rochdale continued their search for an equaliser. As the game became increasingly frenetic, tensions rose, resulting in yellow cards being shown to players from both sides. Despite late pressure from Rochdale, Barnet held firm to secure all three points, moving to 33 points and consolidating their position in the top half of the table. Rochdale, meanwhile, remain on 27 points.