A second half Barnet rally after twice goIng behind to Bradford City earned the Bees a point in an entertaining if frustrating afternoon for the home supporters.
The Bees put in a sub-standard first half performance and the visitors were unfortunate not to be leading by more than a single goal at half time. From the first the Bantams large, gangling forward James Hanson proved a handful and after his headed effort from a corner flashed just wide he scored the first goal of the game in the 14th minute.
Midfielder Michael Flynn pushed forward and his low cross into the box evaded a number of forwards and defenders alike only for Hanson on the far post to have the simple task of stabbing the ball over the line from close range.
Barnet's best response in the first half saw a Jake Hyde looping header, from an Albert Jarrett cross, beat the keeper, but it was a fraction too high as the visitors enjoyed the bulk of the play in the first period.
Post match Stuart McCall expressed the view that his side should have been at least two goals to the good by half time and there would not be too many dissenting voices from that view.
As has been a trend this season the Bees put in an improved display in the second half and by force of will were more able to impose themselves on the game.
A deep cross by substitute left back Kenny Gillet led to the equaliser in the 56th minute. John O'Flynn got himself between two defenders and his header had too much on it for the Bantams keeper to do anything about it.
The Bees then went in search of a winning goal as Ismail Yakubu saw an acrobatic effort narrowly miss the target. For a while Bradford were on the rack.
But it was the visitors who were to take the lead. Failure the clear the danger from a corner enabled the Bantams skipper Zesh Rehman to lash the ball into the back of the net and the Bees were again chasing the game.
With just over half an hour remaining Albert Adomah was introduced to the fray. The winger who had suffered a broken nose at Macclesfield last time out was immediately involved and suddenly the Bradford left flank looked vulnerable.
Within two minutes of his introduction Adomah, after exquisite dexterity with the ball, passed to O'Flynn out wide whose delivery was met by the head of Mark Hughes who headed the ball forcibly goalwards. By virtue of their second half revival the Bees were deservedly level and Hughes moments later, again getting in an advanced position had a chance to put Barnet ahead but his effort was wide of the target.
In the very last moments Clovis Kamdjo made a well timed tackle in his own penalty area to deny the Bantams as they broke away, themselves in search of a winning goal.
A curate's egg of a performance this one, good in parts, certainly in terms of desire in the second period, but not reaching the levels were a victory is a likelihood and the Bees will think themselves a fraction fortunate to have got something out of the game.
The Bees take on Rotherham United in Sheffield next Saturday.
David Bloomfield.
