FA Cup star scores Hand of God goal by punching ball in — ‘Diego would be proud’

Almost 40 years on from Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God', and football still hasn't learnt its lesson.

The late legend would have been proud nonetheless, however, after Barnet's Harry Pritchard paid homage with a exemplary effort of his own. Not that it was able to keep the Bees in contention for the FA Cup following defeat to Newport County in Tuesday's second-round replay.

County travelled to The Hive having drawn 1-1 at home to their National League foes earlier in December. However, the League Two outfit quickly asserted dominance in the rematch and raced into a 3-0 lead in just 25 minutes.

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Clearly desperate to reduce the deficit, Pritchard challenged for a header after Finley Potter kept Jordan Cropper's massive throw-in alive. And he may not have reached the ball in time were it not for a well-disguised limb flashing in front of County goalkeeper Nicholas Townsend.

There were no protests from the visitors, and officials were clearly fooled by the foul fist illegally punching the ball over the line. In fact, the intervention from former Blackpool and Bradford City midfielder Pritchard was so sneakily done that even commentator Adam Virgo was duped.

Was Barnet's 'Hand of God' even better than the original? Let us know in the comments section below

"Brilliant flick on, it's a brave header as well from Harry Pritchard," said the former Brighton and Celtic player-turned-commentator before realising his mistake. "Does he get his head on the ball, or is it his hand?"

Spectators unsurprisingly compared the goal to Maradona's slap against England during the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals. "Diego would have been proud," laughed one admirer, while plenty piled in to laugh at commentators for not spotting the foul in real time.

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"Adam Virgo somehow can't see the most obvious handball you'll ever see," wrote one incredulous viewer. Another viewer added: "Best 'committed header' I’ve ever seen."

While Argentina went on to win the 1986 World Cup in the wake of Maradona's ill-gotten goal, the same won't be said for fifth-tier Barnet after they lost 4-1. But Pritchard will always have a piece of rather unique FA Cup history – legal or not – to his name.

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