FULL-TIME: Bradford City 3 Barnet 3 (From Times Series)

FULL-TIME: Bradford City 3 Barnet 3

5:03pm Saturday 1st November 2008 in Sport By Paul Wreyford

Barnet came from behind three times to earn an excellent point at promotion-chasing Bradford this afternoon.

But the Bees will feel disappointed they did not gain all three.

Paul Fairclough's troops put in a superb display and dominated the second half, finishing the far stronger.

Only some poor defending again let them down.

In contrast, the Bantams were booed off the pitch at the end, their side having been outplayed for most of the game, which was a fine advert for League Two football.

Barnet, who were unchanged from the side that drew 2-2 at Shrewsbury in midweek, should have struck in the fifth minute.

Nicky Nicolau's ball forward was missed by the last defender, freeing John O'Flynn, but the striker, with just the keeper to beat, saw his shot parried and the angle was too tight for him to turn in the rebound.

O'Flynn, who scored both at the New Meadow on Tuesday, will feel he should have buried the chance.

And it was Bradford who opened the scoring with their first effort on ten minutes, Barry Conlon rising above Joe Devera to head home a deep cross from the right, the ball looping over Lee Harrison and bouncing in off the upright.

It was a blow to the Bees who had started well, taking the game to their hosts.

However, the goal did not knock the visitors off their stride and they continued to press.

And Barnet were level on 20 minutes after a terrible mix-up in the home defence. Keeper Rhys Evans and defender Thomas Moncur both left it for the other to clear and Nicolau nipped in to touch the ball through the legs of the Bradford number one. O'Flynn, just inside the box, collected the ball, steadied himself and rolled it into an empty net.

It was no more than the Bees deserved for their positive start to the game.

But the Bantams were back in front 15 minutes before the interval, Peter Thorne arriving at the back post to turn home a free kick from all of a few yards.

Still the Bees refused to lie down and they were level again within two minutes. Albert Adomah saw a shot pushed out by Evans, but Nicolau rolled home the rebound through a crowd of players from 12 yards.

But, within a minute of their second equaliser, the visitors allowed their hosts to take the lead for the third time. Conlon shrugged off his man to have a free shot on goal just inside the box and the striker gave Harrison little chance, drilling low into the net.

It was a crazy 45 minutes, with both sides looking capable of scoring at will, though the defending, at both ends, left a lot to be desired.

Barnet started the second half well, the home side content to sit back and play on the break.

However, there were few chances in the opening stages, neither keeper really tested.

The Bees continued to play some good football, though Harrison had to be alert to push over a rasping Law drive on the hour and then dive low to collect a Conlon header from the corner.

At the other end, Michael Townsend headed over a Neal Bishop cross, after the ball had bounced dangerously around the home penalty box, no Bee able to apply a finishing touch.

Barnet were fighting like mad and getting into some good positions, but the final ball often let them down.

An Adomah shot was just too high for the arriving Bishop with 20 minutes to go, the Bees continuing to push hard for a third equaliser.

And it came on 75 minutes. Sub Adam Birchall turned and shot across the face of the goal, for the arriving Adomah to side-foot home at the back post. Keeper Evans felt he had prevented the ball from crossing the line, but the referee pointed to the centre circle.

The visitors refused to rest on their laurels, now sensing a winner.

And Adomah should have scored ten minutes from time. He got on the end of an O'Flynn flick, but headed wide from a few yards out.

Michael Leary then saw Evans pull off a flying save, the midfielder driving forward and hitting a 25-yard rocket.

Bradford were holding on at the back, the visitors asking most of the questions in the latter stages, Leary again volleying just wide from distance with four minutes to go.

BARNET (4-5-1): Harrison; Devera, Yakubu, Townsend, Gillet; Adomah, Porter (Birchall 65), Leary, Bishop, Nicolau (Medley 88); O'Flynn. Subs not used: Beckwith, Carew, Deverdics.

Attendance: 12,510 (117 visiting supporters)