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Barnet 0 Wycombe Wanderers 1 Saturday 2nd August 2014 Friendly A cool finish from 30 yards by new signing Peter Murphy was enough for Wanderers to beat Conference side Barnet at The Hive. The only goal of the game came midway through the second-half on a day when there was more injury concerns for Wycombe when Josh Scowen was stretchered off on the hour mark with an ankle injury following a fairly harmless looking challenge in midfield. Team news on the day had seen Gareth Ainsworth give the first run out to Rotherham youngster Nick Walker plus later in the game he took another look at triallist Aaron Holloway. 21 year old Holloway was originally part of the Cardiff City youth system before switching to Bristol City when he was 18. Last season he made four appearances at Newport County but was released in May 2014. Meanwhile, the opponents, managed by Martin Allen included former Wanderers John Akinde and Sam Togwell in their starting line-up. Togwell, who made four loan appearances for Wanderers last season, had joined Barnet the previous week following his release from Chesterfield. It was a game where Wanderers struggled to create many clear cut chances up front, with defender Aaron Pierre going closest on two occasions in the first half - first when he headed wide after Walker had clipped the ball back in from the right and was off target again from another Walker assist. At the other end, Akinde looked the danger man for the hosts and should have scored in a one on one with Matt Ingram but shot wide of the left hand upright. A half-time torrential downpour interupted an otherwise sunny afternoon at Barnet's relatively new ground in Canons Park, Harrow and also prevented a half-time warm-up for the substitutes from both sides, who had to shelter in the stands to protect themselves from the extreme conditions. The only goal of the game came in the 68th minute when a poor clearance from Barnet 'keeper Graham Stack was picked up Max Kretzschmar who laid the ball to Murphy who struck the ball cleanly into the top corner of the net. It was a slick finish and came just a couple of minutes after Barnet should have been awarded a goal. Akinde had been fouled by Gary Doherty on the edge of the Wycombe box but the loose ball fell to Charlie MacDonald who slotted past Matt Ingram from the left of goal - but not before the referee had halted play for a free-kick to the home side. However, Barnet wasted the free-kick and paid the price two minutes later when Murphy struck home. The goal injected a bit more confidence in Wycombe, with Murphy going close again on 70 minutes with a effort from around 25 yards. Victory at Barnet completes Wanderers' pre-season programme and it's now onto the trip to Newport County on the opening day of the Football League season (Saturday 9th August). Full-time - Barnet 0 Wycombe 1 Wycombe: Ingram, Jombati, Pierre, Doherty (sub 71 Rowe), Jacobson, Walker (sub HT Cowan-Hall), Scowen (sub 60 Kretzschmar), Murphy (sub 81 Bloomfield), Wood, McClure (sub 64 Holloway), Hayes (sub 77 Craig) - subs not used: Richardson, Morias, Evans Scorers: Murphy 68 Bookings: none Barnet: Stack, Vilhete, Johnson, N’Gala, Stephens, Marsh-Brown (sub 57 Gambin), Weston, Togwell (sub 89 Villa), Trialist (sub 57 Muggleton), Akinde, MacDonald - subs not used: Cowler, Saville, Nurse, Lowe, Sykes Scorers: none Bookings: none Referee: Mr Nick Kinsely Attendance: 648 (200 away approx) Post match reaction: Commenting after the game, Gareth Ainsworth said, "A win's a win. That's three points next week if that happens and that's what we want to do. You always take a win and then work on what you need to work on afterwards. I thought Peter Murphy had one of his best games for us so far." The Wycombe boss went on to agree that the opposition should have been allowed to play-on and score just prior to Murphy's goal but added, "I thought Barnet were good, strong opposition and very direct - pretty much what we'll be encountering from a lot of teams in League Two. I think they'll do well in the Conference." Barnet's first home Conference game of the season is against relegated Bristol Rovers on Tuesday 12th August. Commenting on the injury to Josh Scowen, Ainsworth said, "He's taken a whack on his ankle and he's got stretchered off. He's got the dreaded boot on. Cian [O'Doherty, physio] is quite positive. we'll see. Next Saturday will be debateable but we've got good deputies - we are strong there. We'll see how he is in the week."

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