Barnet 1-0 Cambridge United: Collinge Hits Winner for Buzzing Bees

Match Details

• Competition: SkyBet League 2
• Date: Saturday 29th March 2026
• Venue: The Hive, North West London
• Final Score: Barnet 1 - 0 Cambridge United
• Referee: Martin Woods (4th Official: Karl Sear)

Match Stats & Key Metrics

	Barnet	Cambridge United
Score	1	0
Half Time	0	0
Goalscorers	Collinge 49'	-
Formation	5-4-1	3-4-2-1
Yellow Cards	-	-
Red Cards	-	-
Substitutions	Jaiyesimi 77' (Chinedu), Hawkins 87' (Glover), Kizzi 87' (Tshimanga)	Lavery 46' (Brophy), Smith 61' (Mpanzu), Nevitt 61' (Appere), McConnell 75' (Ball)

The Story of the Match

BARNET beat Neil Harris' promotion seeking Cambridge United at The Hive yesterday afternoon thanks to the only goal from skipper Danny Collinge from a near post flick from a corner by Mark Shelton to seal a great 1-0 home win in a sunny and windy North West London as the Bees ended the day 2 points outside the play offs with six games to play. Dean Brennan the Bees boss was looking to take Barnet from the National League into the playoff places with a solid end to the season.

Barnet in 12th spot on 57 points in SkyBet League 2 hosted promotion seeking Cambridge United in 3rd spot on 72 points at The Hive Stadium in North-West London yesterday afternoon.

Barnet came into the match with two wins against Milton Keynes Dons (away) last time out when they won 3-1 and beat Chesterfield (home) 1-0, one draw against Crawley Town (away) 1-1 and two defeats against Newport County (home) 1-2 and Salford City (away) 0-2. Meanwhile, Cambridge United the visitors came into the game with two wins against Salford City (home) last time out 1-0 and Gillingham (home) 5-0 and three draws against Walsall (away) 0-0, Accrington Stanley (away) 1-1 and Milton Keynes Dons (home) 1-1.

Barnet manager Dean Brennan started with a 5-4-1 formation with Cierna Slicker in goal, then back five of Adam Senior, captain Danny Collinge, Nikola Tavares, Romoney Crichlow-Noble and Philip Chinedu then a four-man midfield in Mark Shelton, Nnamdi Ofoborh, Ryan Glover and Callum Stead with the loan striker Kabongo Tshimanga up top. Barnet made one change with Philip Chinedu coming in for Kanu.

Cambridge United manager Neil Harris started with a 3-4-2-1 formation with Jack Eastwood in goal, then a back three of James Gibbons, Mamadou Jobe, and Kell Watts then a four-man midfield of Liam Bennett, Dominic Ball, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and James Brophy then two attacking midfielders in Ben Knight and Adam Mayor playing behind loan striker Louis Appere at the top of the pitch. Cambridge United made one change with Kaikai replaced by Adam Mayor.

The game kicked off in bright March sunshine at The Hive in Northwest London. Cambridge United kicked off the first half wearing a changed strip of all white with green sleeves. Barnet were in their traditional Amber and Black stripes with black shorts and socks.

The difficult windy conditions were causing defenders problems with high balls up field. Cambridge United started well and forced an early corner in the 11th minute, but it came to nothing. Barnet forced a corner in the 13th minute to the back post, but Mamadou Jobe headed clear for the visitors.

Barnet free kick from 25 yards out by Mark Shelton hit wide with a right footed effort which did not trouble Jack Eastwood in the U's goal in the 16th minute. Liam Bennett forced another corner for Cambridge in the 42nd minute at the end where the U's fans were seated but it came to nothing again after a cross to the back post by James Brophy.

The teams went in level at 0-0 at half time. Cambridge United replaced James Brophy with Shayne Lavery at half time. Barnet took the lead through Danny Collinge with a near post flick from a corner by Mark Shelton in front of the visiting fans to make it 1-0 in the 49th minute. Barnet should have gone 2-0 up in the 55th minute but the Bees missed their chance through Callum Stead who had his shot blocked from an assist by Kabongo Tshimanga.

Cambridge United boss Neil Harris, 1-0 down made a double substitution with Korey Smith and Elliott Nevitt coming on for Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Louis Appere in the 61st minute. Barnet came forward through Adam Senior, and he saw his right footed shot blocked by Kell Watts as ball put out for a corner to the Bees, but it came to nothing in the 66th minute.

Barnet a goal up looked the most likely to score again as Cambridge had offered very little going forward much to the annoyance of manager Neil Harris. Cambridge forced a corner in the 73rd minute but it came to nothing as Barnet cleared the danger. Cambridge United's fourth substitution saw Dominic Ball replaced by Glenn McConnell in the 75th minute.

Barnet brought on Diallang Jaiyesimi for Philip Chinedu in the 77th minute. Cambridge free kick on the edge of the Barnet penalty area in the 79th minute. Barnet made a double change in the 87th minute with Ryan Glover and Kabongo Tshimanga replaced by Oli Hawkins and Joe Kizzi.

Barnet deserved a 1-0 victory against 3rd placed Cambridge United who were disappointing on the road away from the Abbey Stadium as they dropped to 4th place with the loss. Barnet have six games remaining at home to Bromley, Barrow and Gillingham and away to Fleetwood Town, Notts County and Harrogate Town on the last day of the season.

Half Time Barnet 0 Cambridge United 0 (2 minutes added time)

Full Time Barnet 1 Cambridge United 0 (4 minutes added time)

Timeline of Key Events

• 11' - Corner (Cambridge United) - Early corner comes to nothing.
• 13' - Corner (Barnet) - Cross to back post headed clear by Jobe.
• 16' - Free Kick (Barnet) - Shelton fires wide from 25 yards with a right footed effort.
• 42' - Corner (Cambridge United) - Bennett wins a corner, Brophy's cross to the back post comes to nothing.
• HT - Barnet 0-0 Cambridge United (2 minutes added time).
• 46' - Substitution (Cambridge United) - Lavery replaces Brophy.
• 49' - Goal (Barnet) - Collinge flicks home at the near post from a Shelton corner. 1-0.
• 55' - Chance (Barnet) - Stead's shot blocked after a Tshimanga assist.
• 61' - Substitutions (Cambridge United) - Smith and Nevitt replace Mpanzu and Appere.
• 66' - Chance (Barnet) - Senior's right footed shot blocked by Watts, corner comes to nothing.
• 73' - Corner (Cambridge United) - Cleared by Barnet.
• 75' - Substitution (Cambridge United) - McConnell replaces Ball.
• 77' - Substitution (Barnet) - Jaiyesimi replaces Chinedu.
• 79' - Free Kick (Cambridge United) - Dangerous position on edge of Barnet area.
• 87' - Substitutions (Barnet) - Hawkins and Kizzi replace Glover and Tshimanga.
• FT - Barnet 1-0 Cambridge United (4 minutes added time).

Author's Standout Players

• Danny Collinge (Barnet) - The Bees skipper scored the winning goal with a near post flick from a Shelton corner in the 49th minute. Led by example at the back in a solid defensive display.
• Mark Shelton (Barnet) - Provided the corner for the winning goal and was industrious in midfield throughout. His set piece delivery was a constant threat.
• Cierna Slicker (Barnet) - The goalkeeper was rarely troubled but commanded his area well in the windy conditions.
• Adam Senior (Barnet) - Impressive on the right of the back five, got forward well and saw a shot blocked by Watts in the 66th minute.
• Kell Watts (Cambridge United) - The best of the Cambridge defenders, making a key block to deny Senior and marshalling the back three as best he could on a disappointing afternoon for the visitors.