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THE County Ground has already been the venue of one of Paul Fairclough's fondest footballing moments but, as he dreams of another giantkilling act, he insisted the belief was always there lightning could strike twice.

Fairclough masterminded Stevenage Borough's third round upset in Wiltshire back in 1998 and admits by the end of Saturday's cup tie he was just "waiting" for his League Two Barnet side to make some new memories for him.

As it was Adam Birchall's deserved 85th-minute equaliser, after Blair Sturrock opened the scoring, was only enough to force a replay at Underhill in a week and half's time - but Fairclough has warned Town's players they face an uphill task, literally.

He said: "I hope the players like running up hills, because we are used to it with the slope there is at our place.

"We probably had equally as many opportunities as they did on the day. My players today were emotional, spiritual and physical warriors. We had a plan, we kept to it. We had a Plan B and they stuck to that and I felt there was only going to be one team that won the game in the last five minutes.

"We feel we thoroughly deserved a second bite. I believed it would go the same way as it did when I was here with Stevenage, I have believed that all week.

"We went 1-0 down early then but I didn't flinch when we went 1-0 down this time and I didn't flinch when we equalised. I was waiting for the ball to go into the back of the net, I really was - I believed we would win."

With Barry Corr suspended and Simon Cox having returned to Reading after a loan spell, Billy Paynter and Blair Sturrock partnered each other in attack in the only changes to the side that drew with Swansea on New Year's Day.

Barnet, struggling in League Two, set their stall out from the start with a defensive-looking 4-5-1 formation and Town struggled to break the gutsy visitors down.

Not that they did not have their chances though with Craig Easton's looping header hacked off the line by Ismail Yakubu and Sofi Zaaboub screwing a shot wide with just the keeper to beat.

Barnet's chances were few and far between as they doggedly defended although the highly-rated and supposed Fulham target Jason Puncheon was lively on the right, forcing Brezovan into tipping wide on 14 minutes.

After the break Town stepped up the pressure and, after Sturrock saw two efforts within a few seconds of each other cleared off the line, the former Plymouth man finally headed the hosts ahead.

Jon-Paul McGovern's precise through ball found Miguel Comminges unmarked on the right and when his low cross deflected off the body of goalkeeper Rob Beckwith and into the air, Sturrock was on hand to bundle the loose ball home.

Instead of going on to kill the game off though Town sat back and, together with the introduction on Birchall in a 4-4-2 formation, Barnet pressed forward strongly.

Their pressure told when Birchall brilliantly plucked Beckwith's long clearance out of the air before firing the ball into the top corner of the net with just five minutes remaining.

"You say he took the goal well but what about his touch from the goal kick?", said Fairclough. "That has come down with snow on it and he has gracefully brought it under control. It was fantastic and that will grace Match of the Day.

"Our plan was to be in there with a chance with 20 minutes left and then to put on our big front runners, which we did and they began to tear the defenders apart.

"It is not what goes on in the big area of the pitch, it is what goes on in the six yard box and we made fantastic saves in ours and missed a couple of opportunities as well.

"We wanted to get into the break 0-0. We didn't want them to score but we had a plan B and we put that into action.

"The players have done everything I have asked them to do today.

"There was no panic when we went 1-0 down. None at all."

Birchall's goal ensures the dream lives on for Barnet, as well as Town, ahead of next week's replay with Fairclough relishing the prospect of today's fourth round draw.

He said: "The draw could work either way for both sides. A big draw and it will be an amazing incentive.

"The most important thing is we are in it and that is the second time running we have got a chance to reach the FA Cupo fourth round.

"We are so proud we are in with a chance. There are young lions in there and they have been fantastic."

7:30am Monday 7th January 2008

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