Nick Sandamas sees Barnet claim a point against Milton Keynes

Barnet FC's stadium The Hive, viewed from a passing tube train — The Hive, Barnet FC: fleeting glimpse of the pitch from the underground by Christopher Hilton, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Barnet had to settle for a point yesterday after MK Dons fought back from two down in an entertaining match at The Hive.

Three changes were made to the starting eleven following last Saturday’s exit from the FA Cup, Ciaran Slicker returned in goal after serving his three match suspension with Lee Ndlovu and Ben Winterburn also on the pitch from the start.

A good opening quarter by the Bees led to their opening goal on 13 minutes when Nmandi Ofoborh played the ball back to Mark Shelton from a short corner, he crossed the ball into the six yard box for centre half Adam Senior to power his header into the net past keeper Connal Trueman for his fourth goal of the season.

Then, on twenty seven minutes, came the opportunity for the Bees to extend their lead from the penalty spot when Ryan Glover was brought down by Jon Mellish and Shelton did the honours, placing his kick calmly to the keeper’s left.

MK Dons were right back in the contest seven minutes left from half time when a clever corner taken by Liam Kelly found Rushian Hepburn-Murphy who placed his low shot into the net to halve the deficit.

Both sides to change the scoreline before the interval, first Ofoborh’s shot (from the edge) went straight into the arms of Trueman, then Nathaniel Mendez-Laing blazed wildly over.

The visitors made a couple of changes for the start of the second half however, on fifty eight minutes, it was the Bees who came closest to restoring their two-goal cushion but Ndlovu could only sting the palms of Trueman.

That save proved crucial as MK Dons levelled in the sixty fifth minute when a strong run on the right by Aaron Nemane caused panic in the box and Mendez-Laing fired the ball into the back of the net.

Slicker produced a top notch save soon after, brilliantly tipping over Luke Offord’s fierce shot on the left.

With eight minutes to go to full time, Mendez-Laing had a chance to put his side ahead for the first time in the match but his under pressure shot went into the side netting.

Despite losing a two-goal lead the Bees didn’t let their heads drop against one of the promotion favourites and this was a point well gained.

It leaves the Bees handily placed in a congested table in twelfth place, closer to the top seven play-off places than the bottom two.

Next Saturday, they travel to the Abbey Stadium to face Cambridge United in the first of two consecutive away games.

Team: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Tavares, Glover, Shelton (Osadebe 73), Winterburn (Hartigan 73) Ofoborh, Stead (Smith 82), Ndlovu (Hawkins 82), Kanu

Subs not used: Evans, Kensdale, Crichlow

Attendance 3597 (1342 away fans)

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