Barnet were unable to break down a determined Newport County at the Hive and there will be disappointment that the Bees were unable to record three points against the team bottom of the table.

Newport were content to defend in numbers, their intention was to stifle and when the Bees did find a way through they found the visitors’ keeper Joe Day in fine form.

However, due to a number of postponements and other results going in Barnet’s favour, the Bees moved up a place in the rankings and only an inferior goal difference keeps them outside of the play-off positions.

The management duo of Rossi Eames and Henry Newman made two changes to the side that tasted defeat at the hands of table-topping Doncaster Rovers the previous week, with Nana Kyei and Simeon Akinola replacing Tom Champion and Jamal Campbell-Ryce respectively.

Barnet midfielder Jack Taylor surged from midfield in the eighth minute to hit a powerful drive that nearly gave his side an early lead but both sides were having difficulty in creating openings in a dull first-half.

Mauro Vilhete looked the most likely source of any invention for the home side. His display was full of energy and he delivered a number of good crosses into the middle that Barnet’s strikers were unable to convert.

The second half was brighter from the Bees, but in the context of the opening period it could hardly have been otherwise.

Newport grew in confidence as the game progressed and increasingly looked unlikely to concede. All their energies were reserved for defending their goal with Barnet keeper Josh Vickers rarely being called upon.

Akinola had a fierce shot from close range parried away by Day and the County keeper was alert to the danger when, following a well-crafted move, he denied Curtis Weston, who had got himself into a good shooting position.

Day kept out efforts from Vilhete and Kyei but the introduction from the bench of Luke Coulson, a new signing from Eastleigh, gave Barnet cause for optimism as the right winger put in some astute deliveries into the middle.

Barnet’s fortunes were summed up with virtually the last kick of the game when the otherwise impressive Vilhete shot for goal with the ball ending up in the car park behind the goal.

The visitors were delighted with the draw, their reward for a well-organised disciplined defensive display. Barnet, by contrast, will want to put this game behind them when the travel to Carlisle United on Saturday.

Barnet: Vickers, H. Taylor (Coulson 76), Nelson, Santos, Johnson, Vilhete, Weston, J. Taylor, Kyei, Akinde, Akinola. Subs not used: Campbell-Ryce, Champion, Nicholls, McKenzie-Lyle, Mason-Clark, Tutonda.