A particularly youthful Town reserve side lost ground in the race for the FA Premier Reserve League (South) title as a strong Arsenal side beat them 2-1 tonight at Barnet.
The Blues went ahead through Richard Logan in the second minute of the game. Logan converted a Nicholls cross after the midfielder had robbed Arsenal's Halls.
Town though were finding it hard to get into the game against an Arsenal side fielding Francis Jeffers, Ray Parlour, Ashley Cole and Japanese international Junichi Inamoto.
The Gunners got on terms five minutes before the break when Jeffers was fed by Inamoto after Town failed to defend a corner. The ex-Everton man beat the advancing Lewis Price in the Town goal.
By this time Town were playing a virtual U20 XI with the two most experienced players, Ulrich Le Pen and Thomas Gaardsøe, both off injured.
Gaardsøe injured an ankle and was replaced by Chris Hogg while Le Pen limped off with Robert Dickinson taking his place. This left Richard Logan, 20, as the oldest Town player on the field and the only one with any first team experience.
The Arsenal winner came from Jeremie Aliadiere, the man who scored a hat-trick for their U18 side against Town last season in the FA Youth Cup. The Frenchman hit a shot to Price's left and into the net.
Town's reserves are now second in the league from Arsenal by one point but have two games in hand over the Gunners and one over the other challengers Derby. Town meet the Rams on May 1st in a possible title decider.
Town team: Price, Artun, Richards, Nicholls, Beevers, Gaardsøe (Hogg 30), Ambrose, Robinson, Logan (Burton 85), Westlake, Le Pen (Dickinson 40).