4:54pm Saturday 21st November 2009
Barnet were held to a goalless draw for the second week running.
But it was a much improved performance, the Bees creating enough chances to have won the game comfortably.
The players gave everything and cannot be faulted for commitment. It was just another one of those days, a defiant Vale defence holding firm in the driving rain.
Barnet boss Ian Hendon decided to leave star winger Albert Adomah on the bench, with Albert Jarrett replacing him. In defence, Daniel Leach came in for the injured Clovis Kamdjo.
Also on the bench were youth players Ryan Scott and Kofi Lockhart-Adams.
The Bees started well, with John O'Flynn and Jarrett shooting from long range, hoping to make the most of the strong wind which was behind them in the first half.
The hosts should have been ahead on 20 minutes, the incoming Ismail Yakubu clipping the bar with a header from just six yards out. He should have at least hit the target.
There was a controversial moment soon after, when Yannick Bolasie was booked for diving, though it looked like he had been clipped from behind as he surged towards goal.
O'Flynn then saw a shot on the turn headed away by a defender, before Bolasie fired across goal and just wide after making room for himself.
It was not totally one-way traffic, Doug Loft just wide for the visitors with a shot that bounced awkwardly in front of the diving Jake Cole.
But it was the home side who would have felt they should have been ahead at the break, having done most of the pressing and created plenty of chances.
The final effort, a curling shot from O'Flynn, forced keeper Chris Martin to dive at full stretch to keep his side on level terms.
Jarrett, in particular, proved a constant thorn in the visitors' side during the first 45 minutes, but the Bees could not find a way through.
Barnet started the second half just as brightly, O'Flynn just failing to turn home a Jarrett cross at the far post.
But Vale almost took the lead ten minutes in, Kris Taylor's dipping volley finishing just the wrong side of the post.
At the other end, O'Flynn stabbed a Bolasie centre just wide at the near post. He perhaps should have done better.
Micah Hyde was next to try his luck, but his low drive from the edge of the box was a few inches off target.
Though Barnet were enjoying most of the play, Vale were coming more and more into the game.
Manager Hendon turned to attacking subs Jake Hyde and Adomah with 20 minutes to go, as the Bees looked for the elusive goal.
O'Flynn was getting into some good positions and this time saw a far-post shot blocked, the hosts continuing to turn the screw.
But chances became fewer in the closing stages, sub Hyde glancing a header wide in stoppage time, that proving to be the final effort.
Vale were reduced to ten men right at the death, Tommy Fraser red-carded for a late tackle, but it had no bearing on the result.
BARNET (4-4-2): Cole; Deen, Yakubu, Leach, Gillet; Bolasie (Adomah 70), Hughes, M Hyde, Jarrett; O'Flynn, Furlong (J Hyde 70). Subs not used: Carpenter, Scott, Lockhart-Adams, Hart, Deverdics.
Attendance: 1,939.
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