Two epic FA Cup replays saw Bristol Rovers and Barnet emerge victorious on Tuesday night against higher league opposition.

Both games were decided on penalties but here there was a contrast between the losing teams; whilst Fulham missed just one of the four they took, Swindon contrived to miss all four of theirs in one of the worst displays of penalty taking imaginable.

In the game at Underhill Billy Paynter opened the scoring for Swindon when he smashed the ball home but then inadvertently converted into his own net from Jason Puncheon's ball. Barnet's Michael Leary was sent off in the 73rd minute for violent conduct after a nasty challenge on Sofiene Zaaboub. The game remained goalless and then went into, what turned out to be, a comedy penalty shoot-out.

The Bees have blown hot and cold this season. Whilst they lost their last home League game on 29th December, 2-0 to Chesterfield, they managed to inflict a 1-0 defeat at runaway leaders MK Dons in their last away game. They got off to a terrible start to the season and were in the bottom four after their first three games, with just one point and yet after 12 games had risen, by the end of October to 5th spot. Inconsistent form since then has seen them pick up just 10 points from 12 games and drop down to 16th place in the table.

Looking at the background of the club they have been in existence since 1888 and have always boasted a loyal fan base. The original club was disbanded in 1901, but a new club, Alston Works F.C. (later Barnet Alston), was founded almost immediately. They moved to their current ground at Underhill, Barnet Lane, in 1907.

After combining with The Avenue F.C. prior to World War I, they changed their name to Barnet F.C. in 1919. The club turned professional in 1965. Affectionately known by fans as The Bees, Barnet play in an amber strip with black trim.

Their early reputation was of playing fast, crazy football, a reputation only enhanced by their first ever league match (which they lost 4-7 to Crewe Alexandra). In their first season of league football the club reached the promotion playoffs but lost to Scunthorpe in the semi finals.

Soon afterwards chairman Stan Flashman, living up to his 'larger than life' reputation, walked out on the club which almost went out of business because it could not pay its players' wages and had failed to pay a £50,000 fine for breach of rules.

In spite of this, Barnet finished third in the new Division Three and secured the final automatic promotion spot. Manager Barry Fry, however, left Barnet and was replaced by the former England goalkeeper Ray Clemence.

Barnet's first season in Division Two ended in relegation and Clemence left in 1995 to be replaced by Terry Bullivant (after a brief caretaker stint by Alan Mullery). But the club was unable to sustain a real promotion challenge back in Division Three.

In 2001 Barnet lost its league status after ten years, following a season which had seen John Still resign and briefly be replaced by Tony Cottee before Still was reinstated. Still resigned again shortly after Barnet's return to the Conference and was replaced by Peter Shreeves. Shreeves left after one year to be replaced by Martin Allen, who in turn left the club in March 2004 (to take charge at Brentford). Allen was replaced by Paul Fairclugh who has proved to be something of a Messiah at Underhill.

The long standing BBC Football commentator John Motson is a supporter, or at least has strong ties with the club, having either grown up nearby and/or worked for a local paper in his early days as a journalist. He seems to mention Barnet at every possible moment, even when commentating on England World Cup matches!

The good news for GasHeads is that, up until now, the Bees have never beaten the Gas. The clubs first met in the FA Cup in 1983/84 season with a 0-0 draw at Underhill and Rovers winning the replay 3-1.

When the Bees played their only season in Division 2 in 1993/94 they met Rovers for the first time in a League encounter. Rovers had been relegated the previous season and the Bees promoted. Marcus Browning and John Taylor scored the goals that gave Rovers a 2-1 victory at Underhill in October, with Kelly Haag being on the scoresheet for the Bees.

In the return fixture having lost their previous five games Rovers were in dire need of a victory and a Justin Channing hat-trick lead the way to a 5-2 win. An own goal by Alan Walker and a contribution by Marcus Stewart completed the scoring for Rovers, whist Russell Edwards and Paul Wilson scored for the Hertfordshire team.

Last season during Rovers' dramatic run to a Play-Off spot they clinched a 1-1 draw at Underhill on 14 April. Overall there have been nine matches between the teams, Rovers winning six and three draws.

Talking after their shoot-out win over Swindon, Bees Manager Paul Fairclough said, "I would loved to have played a Premier League team, but Saturday is another big challenge and we will do our best. Maybe we'll get the big one after that," he quipped.

"There is a tinge of disappointment that it's not Fulham and I would be telling a lie to say I wasn't a bit disappointed, but it doesn't matter who we play. We are going to have great fun."

The Barnet boss, who gained fame for leading former club Stevenage Borough to FA Cup glory in the 90s, said he loved the FA Cup. "I'm passionate about it. It appals me how some teams treat this lady of a tournament. They should hang their heads in shame. It is a chance for footballers and fans at this level to have some real fun.

"The FA Cup is the greatest competition in the world."

The Bees reached this same stage last year, for the first time in the club's history, but now feel they have a great chance of going one better and making the last 16 this time. They have already knocked out two sides from League One, so feel that Rovers will not be an insurmountable task.

Midfielder Josh Wright is available for selection again and he will probably come in for the suspended Michael Leary, the latter's red card the only sore point in an otherwise memorable Underhill night. Leary was dismissed by referee Andy Penn for what manager Paul Fairclough described as "a thundering tackle" on Sofiane Zaaboub. The Swindon player was stretchered off and taken to Barnet General Hospital with what was found to be severe bruising. The offence was deemed to be "serious foul play" and he will now serve a three match ban.

Meanwhile Rovers themselves must realise that after lifting the level of their performance and commitment for the two ties against Fulham and matching them in every department this is an ideal opportunity to go on to the last sixteen. They will need to be on their mettle as the Hertfordshire team obviously see this, themselves, as a rare opportunity to advance to the 5th Round of the oldest knock-out tournament in the football world.

Written by Gerry Prewett