Football / Coca-Cola Cup: Summerbee shows City the way: Barnet's brave fight

Manchester City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Barnet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

(Manchester City win 4-2 on aggregate)

IN THE end, Manchester City's victory looked emphatic, yet like statistics, scorelines can be economical with the truth. Barnet, 62 places below their hosts, deserved extra time at Maine Road last night, but two late goals put City in today's Coca- Cola Cup third-round draw.

Barry Fry may have moved upmarket, but the camaraderie he instilled at Barnet has been allied to a slick passing game under the managership of Ray Clemence. The Third Division team were never out- classed, as the home manager Brian Horton readily admitted afterwards, and it was not until the final 12 minutes that City's superior pace eventually told.

It might have been a different, Mansfield-style story had Dougie Freedman made more of his chances. The 20-year- old striker, signed on a free transfer from Queen's Park Rangers, recorded his 11th goal of the season but spurned two other opportunities.

Freedman, who had scored the first-leg winner on Barnet's slope, had already sent a free header over the bar before City seized a 57-minute lead. Steve Lomas's shot was parried by Gary Phillips, whereupon Niall Quinn side-footed the aggregate equalizer.

Within two minutes, however, Barnet's enterprise had its reward. Linvoy Primus headed on a corner for Freedman to restore the visitors' overall advantage with a hooked effort from close range. Moments later, the Glaswegian wriggled through the remnants of City's defence, only to screw his shot wide.

With 22 minutes remaining and City's pressure mounting, Paul Walsh met a Nicky Summerbee centre to collect his fourth headed goal out of six this season. Even then, Barnet recovered their composure, before Walsh returned the compliment for Summerbee to score in the 78th minute, his first goal since arriving from Swindon.

Two minutes from time, Quinn chipped beyond Phillips to put City out of sight, though the ovation to which they left the pitch betrayed relief as well as pleasure.

Manchester City (4-4-2): Dibble; Edghill, I Brightwell, Hill, Phelan; Summerbee, Lomas, Flitcroft, Beagrie; Walsh (Griffiths, 89), Quinn. Substitutes not used: Vonk, Coton (gk).

Barnet (4-4-2): Phillips; McDonald, Primus, Newson, Gale (Cooper, 87); Tomlinson (Haynes, 81), Wilson, Scott, Hoddle; Freedman, Hodges. Substitute not used: Newell (gk).

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).