FULL-TIME: Exeter City 2 Barnet 1 (From Times Series)

FULL-TIME: Exeter City 2 Barnet 1

5:01pm Saturday 31st January 2009 in Sport

Michael Leary saw a late penalty saved as Barnet slipped to defeat at St James Park this afternoon.

Exeter had just scored their second goal, but the midfielder was gifted the perfect chance to salvage a point, only to waste it.

Barnet gave as good as they got in a much better second half, but they still came away with nothing and remain in the thick of it at the wrong end of League Two.

The visitors made one change from the team that drew with Shrewsbury on Tuesday, Michael Leary coming in for Nicky Deverdics, who was not even on the bench.

It was a quiet start, with Exeter having most of the possession, but creating nothing of threat.

A whistle-happy referee did not help the flow of the game.

The Bees had the first chance on 18 minutes, John O'Flynn glancing a header wide of the far post from an Albert Adomah cross.

But, out of the blue, just a couple of minutes later, City struck with a stunning opener, Neil Saunders lobbing keeper Ran Kadoch from some 40 yards. The Barnet number one was stranded off his line, though he could hardly have expected Saunders to have a go from that distance. Though the wind, in Exeter's favour, helped, it was still an incredible finish.

With ten minutes of the half to go, Leary combined with Neal Bishop, only for the former's shot to go across the face of the goal.

Exeter did get the ball in the net following a corner, but the referee ruled that Kadoch had been impeded as he jumped for the ball.

Kadoch then made an excellent block with his hand to keep out a fierce Manny Panther drive.

The resulting corner from Dean Moxey was caught in the wind and ended up hitting the upright.

Exeter were looking comfortable, but, on the stroke of half-time, O'Flynn slipped Paul Furlong through and the striker, as cool as you like, slotted the ball into the corner past the advancing Paul Jones. It was a quality finish from the 40-year-old.

Barnet started the second half with the wind now behind them. Furlong had a half-chance early on, but he headed Max Porter's cross well wide.

The Grecians continued to be frustrated by the offside flag, while the Bees began to offer much more as an attacking force, Adomah now far more involved.

On the hour, a ball into the Barnet box caused a moment of concern, but Marcus Stewart mis-hit his shot.

Kadoch then pulled off a superb save, diving at full stretch to push out a Richard Logan header that looked destined for the net.

Adomah also forced Jones to push out a shot as he cut inside from the right.

The match was evenly balanced, both sides looking capable of grabbing a winner.

With 18 minutes to go, Exeter struck, Matthew Gill beating Kadoch from a central position after he had been invitingly teed up by Steve Basham, the Bees initially failing to clear a high ball into the box.

But Barnet were given the perfect chance to equalise again, when Saunders handled in the area.

The referee pointed to the spot, but Leary saw his spot kick saved. It was a poor penalty, the midfielder almost placing the ball in Jones' hands.

Still the Bees refused to give up and Adomah saw a shot on the turn go wide after fine work from sub Yannick Bolasie.

But Leary's miss was to prove crucial, the home side hanging on to take the points.

BARNET (4-4-2): Kadoch; Porter, Devera, Breen, Nicolau; Adomah, Leary, Bishop, Black (Bolasie 76); Furlong (Akurang 76), O'Flynn (Birchall 86). Subs not used: Harrison, Ogogo.

Attendance: 4,145 (175 away fans)