CONFERENCE: FANS SPOILT FOR CHOICE ON SATURDAY

Saturday showed exactly how far Conference Football has come, and underlined the potential for the future, as fans across the country were able to watch two cracking games: one on television and another via broadband.

The second free live match of the season streamed through www.conferencefootball.tv was a huge success and enabled supporters nationwide to see Scarborough and Aldershot share four goals in an entertaining game at The McCain Stadium.

The game was viewed by many Shots fans on big screens back at The Recreation Ground, but the team's traveling support was not affected as over 1600 attended the match.

Those who had made the trip, and those viewing elsewhere, saw the visitors take a two-goal lead through Darren Barnard and Adam Miller. However, the home side hit back as substitute Chris Senior scored twice to earn The Seadogs a worthy draw in their first appearance on conferencefootball.tv.

After the technical hitches of the first live online match broadcast last month, this second free trial proved that the problems have been fully resolved, and fans were delighted to be able to view the game, which was excellently covered by the conferencefootball.tv cameras.

Meanwhile, Bees and Daggers fans were also treated to some excellent coverage of their meeting at Underhill, which was the second live Nationwide Conference game of the week on Sky Sports. (The third is being screened on Monday night - Accrington Stanley vs Hereford United - 7:45pm kick-off)

Leaders Barnet turned on the style in front of the cameras as they romped to a 5-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge to cement their position at the top of the table.

The tone was set as early as the second minute as Ian Hendon put the home side ahead when Daggers goalkeeper Tony Roberts failed to keep out the Bees skipper's tame shot. Ben Strevens headed in a second four minutes later, though it was another hour before Lee Roache hit the third.

Nick Bailey curled in a fourth for Paul Fairclough's impressive side and Hendon completed the rout from the penalty spot Lee Flynn felled Dean Sinclair in the box.

The only sour note from the day was the treatment of Daggers manager and former Barnet John Still, who was taunted by the home fans. The club have since issued an official statement of apology to the man who managed them for five years, which reads: "The reputation of this club and its fans is better than that. We don't want it spoilt by the bitter actions of a few individuals."

Bees chairman Tony Kleanthous rang Still to convey his disappointment at the reaction he received on his return to the club, and the statement continued: "Supporters should have been celebrating and cheering a fantastic result rather than denigrating a decent man who gave five years service and twice led the club to the play-offs.

"The chairman felt that some of the personal abuse directed at John and his family went beyond a joke, and it even soured the result for him.

"The club extends an apology to John and assures him he is always welcome back at Underhill."