John Akinde's penalty earned 10-man Barnet a point from a long trip to Carlisle, even after Simeon Akinola's second-half red card.

The Bees squandered a number of chances – largely though Akinde – either side of falling behind to former Leyton Orient man Callum Kennedy's opener on the half-hour.

Their task was made more difficult when Akinola was dismissed for a late challenge on Michael Raynes.

But Tom Miller's clumsy foul on Elliott Johnson gave Akinde a chance to level up from 12 yards, and his spot kick was enough for a share of the spoils.

Barnet’s head coach duo of Rossi Eames and Henry Newman made four changes to the side that been held to a draw by bottom of the table Newport County a week ago at The Hive.

Charlie Clough, a defender signed from Forest Green Rovers, was given his debut at right-back, while Luke Coulson, a right winger signed from Eastleigh made his first start for the Bees.

Injuries to Jack Taylor and Curtis Weston prompted changes to the formation. Champion and the versatile Mauro Vilhete were paired as holding midfielders, with Coulson and Jamal Campbell-Ryce operating on the flanks.

Carlisle, without a win in four games, were put onto the back foot from the first by the Bees who opened confidently with Campbell-Ryce cutting in from the left to send a right footed effort over the bar.

The home side then rallied and were close to an opener in the 16th minute, when Kennedy wasted a good opening from close range.

Midway through the first-half Elliott Johnson was unfortunate to see his right-footed shot crash against an upright with Coulson just unable to benefit when the ball rebounded back.

With almost half an hour played the Cumbrians took the lead. Following a training ground set-play routine, Kennedy was allowed to get his shot away and when Josh Vickers spilled his effort, Charlie Wyke was on hand to poke the ball over the line.

Barnet responded well to the setback, with Akinde surging through the home defence with a trademark powerful run only to be denied by Carlisle keeper Mark Gillespie. From the resulting corner, Barnet’s top scorer lofted the ball over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

An overhead kick by Kennedy, with the Barnet goal unguarded, so nearly doubled the home side’s advantage just before half-time.

Then an astute forward pass by the Barnet skipper Michael Nelson into Akinde so nearly lead to a leveller in the last action of the first 45 minutes.

Jabo Ibehre had a header well saved by Vickers early in the second half but the Bees always looked likely to draw level.

But in their willingness to push forward they were always subject to the possibility of conceding from a breakaway attack.

A Reggie Lamb effort from distance was then well saved by Vickers and Ricardo Santos almost turned the ball into his own net, only to be relieved when it was deflected into the side netting.

Barnet’s cause was seemingly dealt a blow when Akinola was given a straight red card for a late challenge on Michael Raynes.

However, the Bees regrouped and, once they had done so, looked capable of taking the game to Carlisle – forcing the home side once more onto the defensive.

Barnet had simply ignored the fact that they were a man light and their grit and determination was rewarded in the 77th minute when Johnson was the victim of a clumsy challenge by Tom Miller, with Referee Michael Salisbury awarding an uncontested penalty.

Akinde made no mistake from 12 yards and, with five minutes of normal time remaining, the Barnet striker had another golden opportunity from very close range following a lax clearance by Lamb.

With the clock ticking the home side stirred seeking a winning goal but the Barnet rear-guard were in no mood to let the draw slip from their grasp.

The result kept the Bees tantalizingly in eighth place with Exeter City leapfrogging over Barnet into the last remaining play-off spot.

An away point, with ten men, against the team that is third in the table should not be sniffed at, but Barnet need to be more clinical in front of goal to cement their play-off aspirations.

Barnet: Vickers, Clough, Santos, Nelson, Johnson, Campbell-Ryce (Kyei 65), Champion, Coulson (Akpa-Akpro 57), Vilhete, Akinde, Akinola.

Unused: Dembele, Taylor, McKenzie-Lyle, Sweeney, Tutonda.