FC Halifax Town 1 Barnet 1: Late leveller deservedly rescues Shaymen

Curtis Weston had scored at the Shay for the second season running and looked to have given Barnet all three points.

But a dramatic late fightback from The Shaymen rescued a deserved point, with Barnet defender David Stephens seeing red in an action-packed spell of added time.

Weston almost scored in the first half after a beautifully-weighted through-ball by Mauro Vilhete, but Matt Glennon rushed off his line to block the shot.

The Shaymen forced a seemingly-incessant run of corners midway through the first-half and somehow failed to score from them, with Richard Peniket twice denied by Graham Stack from close-range.

Sloppy defending from Town then allowed Vilhete a sight of goal, but his drilled shot crashed back off the far post.

John Akinde fired straight at Glennon after latching onto a hopeful long pass before Weston then headed in a near-post corner with a quarter of the game to go.

Town responded well to the setback, with substitute Jack Muldoon bringing a fine save from Stack and Peniket only denied a clear chance by a last-ditch tackle.

Stephens was sent-off in added time for a crude challenge on Matt Pearson earned the Barnet man a second yellow.

From the resulting free-kick, Peniket’s effort came back off the post before being scrambled in by Maynard for his 11th goal of the campaign.

FC Halifax Town: Glennon, Bolton, M Roberts, Hutchison, McManus, Smith (Muldoon 64), Maynard, Pearson, Marshall (Hattersley 88), Jackson, Peniket. Subs not used: Senior, Williams, K Roberts.

Barnet: Stack, Yiadom, N’Gala, Stephens, Muggleton (Cook 58), Vilhete, Togwell, Johnson, Weston, Clifford (Gash 46), Akinde (Saville 90). Subs not used: Cowler, Villa.

Referee: Ross Joyce (York)