Nick Sandamas sees the Bees held by the Shaymen

Barnet FC play FC Halifax Town at The Hive — The Bees take on Halifax (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

Barnet 1 FC Halifax Town 1

FC Halifax became only the second team this season to deny the Bees a win at The Hive with a deserved point in this pre-Christmas battle of leaders against play-off contenders.

The Bees fielded an unchanged team but It was the Shaymen who started the better of the two sides and got their reward on eleven minutes with the opener.

A strong run by Florent Hoti towards the byline saw him cross low from the left finding Billy Walters waiting in the six yard box to fire the ball into the net.

However the Bees came storming back and thirteen minutes later drew level when a Nik Taveras attempted shot bounced to Mark Shelton whose shot from the edge took a deflection before nestling into the net.

Soon after, Shelton had a great chance to put the leaders in front but his effort was cleared off the line by a trio of Shaymen defenders.

Then, in a ten minute spell, Danny Collinge tried his luck but the ball ended up in row Z, whilst Ryan Glover made a great run into the box, but his effort ended up hitting the side netting.

Before half time, the Shaymen had the opportunity to go into the break in front when a clearance from keeper Sam Johnson bounced over everyone and left Jamie Cooke with a clear run on goal and with only keeper to beat, but the Bees’ number 1 pulled off a one-handed stop to preserve parity.

The second half saw few chances on goal for either side as both keepers were rarely tested in a tight encounter.

In fact it was the Shaymen who probably had the two best chances to retake the lead, but both were off target, a diving header by Adam Alumi-Adetoro from a corner which flew over the bar and, with ten minutes left, Max Wright with a shot on the edge of the box which again ended up in the empty seats behind the goal.

All in all honours even and, as we reach the half way mark, the Bees went into Boxing Day’s match against Sutton United in second place just behind York City on goal difference in what is becoming a tight title race with the top five separated by a mere five points.

Team: Hayes, Collinge, Oluwo, Taveres, Kenlock, Glover (Kanu 72), Brunt, Hartingan, Shelton, Browne (Stead 46), Kabamba

Subs not used: Bellagambi, Coker, Clifford, Grimwood, Cropper

Att: 1584 (103 away fans)

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