Both sides knew before a ball was kicked at Underhill today in what league they would be playing their football next season and as a consequence the game did resemble many an end of season game where something, albeit barely discernable, is missing.

Adam Birchall gave the home side the lead late in the first half with the Hatters equalising just four minutes after the restart, Barnet now stretching their unbeaten run to six matches.

The unbeaten run continues despite Jake Cole having returned to QPR at the conclusion of his one month loan spell, Lee Harrison being reinstated being the posts, with the Bees also missing the guile of Nicky Deverdics in midfield, out with an ankle injury, young Joe Tabiri deputising. Top scorer John O'Flynn was also still unavailable, recuperating from a hamstring strain.

A well worked free kick routine almost led to the visitors taking an early lead but although the ball ended up in the net an offside decision thwarted the Hatters.

Yannick Bolasie hit the cross bar from outside the penalty area after his run at speed had the Luton defence in a quake, with Albert Adomah and Birchall also having opportunities to give the Bees a first-half lead.

Kevin Nicholls an abrasive midfielder with a eye for a pass was having an influence on the game as he spread the play to both flanks but his team turned around 1-0 down when from a Kenny Gillet free kick a Gary Breen header hit a post, with Birchall on hand to poke the ball into the net.

Four minutes into the second half the Hatters were level when an incisive through ball from Michael Spillane from the right back position set Rossi Jarvis free who lobbed the ball over the advancing Harrison.

On 65 minutes substitute Ian Henderson looked poised to have an opportunity to give Luton the lead but Joe Devera was on hand with a well timed interception in the six yard box.

Moments later Adomah was upended by Sol Davis as the Barnet wingman tried to weave his way through a maze of Luton defenders, referee Whitestone awarding a spot kick.

All afternoon Paul Furlong had given an almost exemplary masterclass in centre-forward play. His first touch had been excellent, his passes invariably found his team mates and he'd held the ball up and linked the play.

From 12 yards however his well struck shot into the top corner produced a brilliant save from Dean Brill who pushed the ball high and wide for a corner. Barnet's best and last chance to stake a claim for all three points had vanished.

Late on Nicholls tumbled and rumbled with Bolasie, both players being shown a yellow card, unfortunately for the Hatters skipper he'd also seen yellow in the first half, the referee now duty bound to issue a red card.

A draw was quite a fair result.

The Bees take on Macclesfield Town at the Moss Rose next Saturday.

David Bloomfield.

Barnet FC had a compettion to find the finest young football reporter when we asked for a match report on the Barnet v Luton Town match. Below we feature the winning entry from Adam Hern who is 13-years-old. He pulls no punches. His report is now preserved in cyber-space forever...

It was a tetchy encounter at Underhill between two teams only left playing for pride. Luton already relegated to the Conference after a 30 points deduction, versus home team Barnet comfortably sitting in 17th place.

But before the match, Barnet manager Ian Hendon presented veteran striker Paul Furlong an award for scoring his 200th goal the previous week against AFC Bournemouth. A wonderful moment for a player whose career has taken him to teams including Chelsea, Watford, and Queens Park Rangers. The goal was his 9th in 21 games for Barnet.

It was Barnet who had the best chances throughout the first half, most notably Yannick Bolasie's deflected effort looping onto the cross bar and behind for a corner. However, it was Barnet's diminutive striker Adam Birchall who tapped into an unguarded net on the stroke of half time to take the teams into the break with the home side 1-0 ahead. Birchall was only in the starting eleven, because top scorer John O' Flynn was out injured.

After the interval, Luton Town were back into the game, when another veteran Barnet player, goalkeeper Lee Harrison came rushing off his line to allow Rossi Jarvis to loop it into the open goal. A very sloppy goal for the Bees to concede, whilst the Hatters' fans went berserk.

Luton almost took the lead in this tie, but Joe Devera intercepted well inside the six yard box, when a goal by Luton substitute Ian Henderson seemed inevitable. Barnet though, had the best chance to grab a goal, when tricky winger Albert Adomah was tripped up inside the penalty area. Against one of his former clubs, of which he scored 8 goals in 32 appearances, Paul Furlong stepped up to try and score his 201st career goal. but was smartly denied by keeper dean Brill. It really was a Brill-iant save.

That wasn't the end of the drama though, because after a scrap with Barnet's on loan wonder kid Yannick Boalsie, Kevin Nicholls was shown red for a second bookable offence.

No more notable action followed, so the watching 2,808 spectators went home pondering over a point. The result moved the Bees one place up the table, to 16th place, whilst already relegated Luton stayed where they had been all season, bottom of the table. At the end of the day, it was a pretty disappointing game of football, and neither of the two managers could possibly have any disappointment with the result.

Adam Hern, Age 13