Kabby penalty secures point

Nick Sandamas see high flying Barnet draw with Cheltenham at The Hive

The main stand at The Hive Stadium, home of Barnet FC — The Hive (Credit – Katie Chan, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Leaders Barnet had to settle for a point following a draw against Steve Cotterill’s Cheltenham Town side in yesterday’s lunchtime game.

Charlie Lakin gave the Bees an early lead in the rain but the Robins hit back in the second half with two quickfire goals following mistakes at the back. Eventually, Kabongo Tshimanga salvaged a point for the men in black and amber with a penalty twelve minutes from the end.

Dean Brennan made just a single change from last Saturday’s win against Shrewsbury Town with Myles Kenlock replacing Zac Williams (who dropped to the bench) at left back. Isiah Noel-Williams was back fit following an injury sustained in pre-season and was given a place amongst the subs.

The first chance came the way of the visitors inside nine minutes when the ball was played towards Jake Evans by Charlie McCann but Matt Cox pulled off a good save.

However, 60 seconds later, the Bees hit the front when Tshimanga fed the ball across the six yard box to the unmarked Lakin who took one touch before placing the ball into the bottom corner past keeper Wyll Stanway. It was the former Walsall midfield man’s third goal of the season.

Halfway through the half and the Bees carved out a great chance to double their lead when Jake Reeves’ free kick to the back post found Danny Collinge, but the captain’s looping header was cleared off the line by Andreas Weimann for a corner.

Then, past the half hour mark, Lakin went down in the box but the referee waved away the appeals and this allowed the Robins a quick counter with a ball played to Ryan Broom. Following some twisting and turning, his curler just went wide.

Another chance fell to the visitors soon after with Broom and McCann setting up Evans but his fierce drive was well kept out by Cox.

Five minutes into the second half and the Bees carved out a good opportunity to increase their lead.

A corner by Lakin saw Stanway punch the ball straight to the feet of Reeves standing on the edge of the area and he let fly with a shot which clipped the top of the bar.

Then, on the hour, the Robins levelled when a lack of communication between Collinge and Nik Taveras allowed Broom the opportunity to have a run at goal, which he did, firing the ball low past Cox and via the inside of the post.

Four minutes later, another defensive error allowed the Robins to go in front when Kenlock’s attempted back pass fell short and Evans took full advantage, playing the ball across the six yard box for McCann to slot the ball low into the net.

A triple substitution ensued with Jack Maskell, Tom Knowles and Williams joining the action as Brennan attempted to shake things up.

Soon after though, it was Maskell who almost gifted the Robins a chance of a third goal giving the ball straight to Joe Tomlinson in the danger area but the former Darlington man was relieved to see Cox beat away the shot.

Then, with twelve minutes left, the penalty which would save the day for the Bees, awarded after Oisin Gallagher was felled in the box by Broom.

Tshimanga did the honours, calmly slotting the ball into the net away from Stanway to level things up.

Both sides then had chances to win it, especially Maskell who was a menace in the opposition box, but the sides couldn’t be separated.

Despite the point, the Bees remain on top ahead of four other sides on seven points.

They will hit the road twice this coming week with a trip to Exeter on Tuesday night followed by a visit to Chesterfield next Saturday.

Team: Cox, Senior, Collinge, Tavares, Kenlock (Williams 66) Reeves (Comley 75) Ofoborh (Knowles 66) Lakin (Noel-Williams 86), Gallagher, Tshimanga, Kanu (Maskell 66)

Subs not used: Ashby-Hammond, Wright

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