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Second QF team books place in National League playoff semi final

A second QF team books a place in the National League playoff semi final to set up a tie against Notts County later this month.

Darren Currie’s Barnet – who moved up from 11th to 7th in a league table based on PPG – came out the winners against Yeovil Town at Huish Park.

Of course it was a playoffs with an obvious difference, with supporters unable to fill the stands to cheer their team on to glory.

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The coronavirus pandemic also meant players could travel to matches on the day, some already in their kits, teams can make five substitutions for the first time in an EFL game, and there are a multitude of way to control hygiene and sanitisation as well as toned down celebrations and elbow bumps instead of handshakes.

Barnet learned that they would be without Fonguck, Coulthrist or Akinola this afternoon, as they all miss out with muscle strains.

However, despite being without Simeon Akinola in particular, who has been their top scorer on 14 goals this season, the Bees still found a way to come out on top.

The main man for Yeovil this afternoon is Rhys Murphy, with 17 league goals this season, however he was unable unable to get on the scoresheet.

There was very few chances in the first half, but the main talking point ended up being whether the handball decision in the area should have gone the Glovers’ way or not.

It was an action packed start to the second half and with just a minute in, Yeovil were just inches away from taking the lead as Luke Wilkinson headed the ball onto the bar following Charlie Lee’s corner.

The deadlock broke just under 10 minutes later, against the run of play, Paul McCallum got the ball from a through ball and placed the ball into the back of the Yeovil net with a cool finish.

With under half an hour remaining, a bizarre few minutes first saw Elliott Johnson hit the woodwork of his own team’s goal, and then what follower was confusion over whether the ball crossed the line or not after a Yeovil free kick. Replays seem to suggest that it didn’t.

The 74th minute saw the ball headed towards the goal but Barnet’s Harry Taylor heads off the line to keep his side in front.

That lead was extended with five minutes or normal time remaining. A cross into the area from Elito found Mauro Vilhete who headed home in what is admittedly an awkward manner.

On further inspection, the ball appeared to have struck Vilhete’s hand. Yeovil will have every right to feel aggrieved with that.

The whistle blew at Yeovil will spend another season in the National League next season.

One team have already booked their place in the National League playoff semi finals.

Matt Rhead got himself a late winner to help Boreham Wood come back from behind to beat FC Halifax Town – who finished 6th, a place below their opposition – on Friday night.

It was the former Lincoln forward’s first goal for the Hertfordshire outfit, with 10 minutes remaining.

The Shaymen got themselves the opener just 19 minutes in thanks to Tobi Sho-Silva’s strike, however Boreham’s Kane Smith got the equaliser early in the second half.

26 minutes later, Rhead completed the comeback to set the Wood up with a semi final tie against Harrogate Town.

Boreham boss Luke Garrard said after the game…

After the game, Halifax boss Pete Wild said: “I thought we were great for 60 minutes, our plan went to plan, and then Tobes (Sho-Silva) said his race was run, and his legs had gone, and we had to change it.

“We knew that would happen to players and unfortunately that happened to us at a tough time.

“We brought on some fresh legs trying to freshen it up. I actually thought we were good enough for a draw but unfortunately in the end we got done off a deflection and a set-piece.

“We wanted to take the game to them, work hard, be a threat. If Tobi scores that on half-time – it’s a great save by the keeper – then it’s a different game isn’t it, but they’re the ifs, buts and maybes. Unfortunately they didn’t go our way tonight.

“They put so much into the first-half that we just didn’t have enough in the second-half. They (Boreham Wood) were better (second-half), they came out, got more organised, got more on the front foot and scored.

“I thought we ride the storm after they scored but then to get done with a set-piece is never good.

“They did what we wanted them to do to the letter but we just ran out of gas. We put so much into that first 60.

“If we could’ve just held out for another 10 minutes the game would’ve petered out.”

When asked what he said to his players after the game, Wild said: “I just said it’s not the time to be analysing the game now, they’re all gutted. I’ll speak to them during the week around what happens next season.

“We slapped the first rung on the ladder tonight. When I first came into the club, with all the chaos that was going on, I feel like we’ve got a rung on the ladder now and there’s a bright future for this football club.

“We know what we need to do better, I know how I need to get better as a manager and I want pre-season to start tomorrow. I know what we’re going to do for pre-season, and tomorrow morning I’ll be switched on, ready and planning to make sure this club is better prepared for next season.

“It’s a massive statement we’ve put out tonight and this year. The fans will be disappointed but they should be buoyed going into next season that we’ve got a great squad and a great club to move forward.

“We’ve done unbelievable to get here, we’ve learned a lot from tonight and the campaign and that will make us stronger and more prepared next season.

“Don’t get me wrong, next season’s a clean slate and we’ve got to earn the right again, but we’ll be ready.”

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