Nick Sandamas sees Barnet draw with Colchester

Barnet FC taking on Dagenham & Redbridge in the National League — The Bees taking on Dagenham & Redbridge at The Hive last season (Credit – Nick Sandamas)

Danny Collinge scored a deserved late equaliser to hand the Bees a point and also secure their first home point since their return to the EFL.

The Bees, who went into the game on the back of a two match winning run, started slowly with the U’s almost taking the lead in the second minute but keeper Cieran Slicker blocked Arthur Read’s close range shot.

However, three minutes later, Slicker was picking the ball out of the net as the U’s took the lead.

A free kick on the right hand side saw Jack Payne play a quick pass to Read whose shot took a ricochet to Jack Tucker who stuck low into the net.

Ten minutes, later the U’s almost doubled their lead when Slicker’s wayward clearance eventually came to Payne and his 35 yard shot forced the keeper to dive to his left to divert the ball away for a corner.

On the half hour mark, Ryan Glover flashed a header wide and, with half time approaching, Oliie Kensdale tested U’s keeper Matt Macey with a low shot which he saved quite comfortably.

The Bees pressed for an equaliser in the second half: first Adam Senior headed into Macey’s gloves on 65 minutes & soon after Lee Ndlovu was brought on to add a bit of bite up front.

With 15 minutes to go until the end, Mark Shelton tried his luck but saw his snap shot go past the post.

Then, bang on 90 minutes, the Bees’ persistence paid off with the leveller when good play by Kane Smith found Idris Kanu on the right and his low cross into the area found Collinge, who blasted into the net from close range to give them a share of the spoils.

Next for the Bees is the short trip to Kenilworth Road to face League One Luton Town tomorrow night in the Vertu Trophy (Football League Trophy).

Team: Slicker, Collinge, Senior. Kensdale, Shelton, Hartigan (Ndlovu 68), Ofoborh (Adeniran (80), Glover (Galvin 88), Stead, Hawkins (Smith 80), Kanu

Subs not used: Evans, High, Crichlow

Attendance 3098 (1245 away fans)

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