Barnet threw away a 3-0 half-time lead to draw 3-3 with Kidderminster Harriers at The Hive this afternoon

A first-half blitz put Barnet into a seemingly unassailable lead at half time, with strikes from Luisma Villa, Lee Cook and John Akinde, all in the space of 11 minutes, sending the Bees in comfortably ahead at the break.

Substitute Michael Gash pulled one back for Kiddy in the 58th minute, despite appearing to control with his hand. With 11 minutes remaining, Nathan Blissett headed home Kidderminster’s second to make things interesting.

And, 60 seconds after his first, Blissett repeated the trick to drag Harriers level and earn a share of the spoils.

Martin Allen made three changes to the Barnet starting XI, with David Stephens, Villa and Cook returning in place of Jack Saville, Mauro Vilhete and Jon Nurse.

Keanu Marsh-Brown included in the bench following a recurring thigh strain – his first appearance in the matchday squad since the 1-0 defeat to Wrexham last month.

Graham Stack started in goal, with Andy Yiadom, Bondz N’Gala, Stephens and Elliot Johnson in front of him once more.

Luisma and Cook began on the flanks, with Sam Togwell and captain Curtis Weston paired together in the centre of midfield. Up front, Akinde and Sam Hoskins continued their partnership together.

Kidderminster boss Gary Whild brought Blissett, Callum Gittings and Josh Gowling into his starting XI, with Michael Gash, Jamie Grimes and Aman Verma dropping out.

Cook almost marked his return to the starting line-up with a goal as early as the third minute; finding enough space to crack in a low shot from 20 yards which Kidderminster goalkeeper Danny Lewis kept out.

After a bright start by the Bees, Kidderminster began to wrestle back a bit of control, but saw their first chance smack the face of the South Terrace from a Kyle Storer free-kick.

Barnet’s shape was proving incredibly fluid, with Luisma drifting inside at will and being replaced down the right-hand flank by the adventurous Yiadom, with Weston dropping in at centre-back when required.

It was Hoskins, though, who had the Bees’ best chance of the opening half an hour; collecting a flick before lashing a half-volley straight at Lewis from 20 yards. The Kidderminster stopper was almost caught out by the ferocity of the strike, but did enough to repel the effort.

In the 33rd minute the Bees were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out and in a central position. Spanish playmaker Luisma, who had scored a free-kick against Alfreton Town last month, subsequently whipped the ball up and over the wall before it nestled in the bottom right-hand corner.

Six minutes after scoring their first from a free-kick, Barnet repeated the trick to double their lead.

Hoskins did well to earn the set piece after drawing a foul out on the right-hand touchline and after Allen advised Luisma to leave the kick to Cook, the winger flashed the ball across the face of goal and in at the far post, evading everyone.

And, a minute before the break things got even better for the Bees as Akinde grabbed his ninth of the campaign. A ball over the top caused confusion between Lewis and his backline, with Akinde stealing in to tuck into an empty net with the Kiddy keeper in no-man’s land.

The Bees began the second period with the same high level of intensity which they had opened the game; N’Gala coming close from a set piece before Akinde led a breakaway and fired narrowly over at the near post.

There was however a let-off when half-time substitute Gash saw an effort hooked off the line shortly after the re-start.

With the game seemingly sewn up and Akinde on three yellow cards for the season, Allen handed young Millwall loanee Alfie Pavey a good half an hour from the bench as a substitute.

Shortly before the hour mark, the visitors pulled one back in controversial circumstances.

First a Cheyenne Dunkley challenge on Yiadom, which looked excessively forceful, went unpunished and allowed the visitors to break at pace. Gash took full advantage and appeared to use his hand in controlling the ball before firing home a half-volley from inside the penalty area.

Kidderminster continued to search for a way back into the contest and came close with 20 minutes remaining when substitute Ahmed Obeng held off N’Gala and advanced in on goal, clipping the post with a deft shot.

Jack Byrne then saw a firm drive caught by Stack following Obeng’s cut-back as the momentum swung in the visitors’ favour. And, with 11 minutes remaining, the hosts’ pressure finally told.

From a corner on the right, Blissett rose highest at the back post to thump a header beyond Stack and set up a tense finish.

Just a minute after bringing his side within a goal, Blissett again leapt unchallenged to nod Kidderminster level with little more than eight minutes remaining.

Allen’s response to being pegged back was to introduce Saville in place of Hoskins and go with five at the back.

Gash almost headed a winner for Kiddy in the dying minutes, with only the agility of Stack denying the striker a second.

Barnet then broke and charged up the other end, Cook lofting the ball into Marsh-Brown, who slammed his effort wide.

That proved to be the final chance for the Bees, with neither side able to provide a final twist in an enthralling contest.

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, Stephens, N’Gala, Johnson; Luisma (Marsh-Brown 63), Togwell, Weston, Cook; Akinde (Pavey 56), Hoskins (Saville 83).

Subs: Gambin, Vilhete.

Kidderminster Harriers: Lewis; Hodgkiss, Dunkley, Gowling (Grimes HT), Nicholson; Johnson (Obeng 60), Byrne, Storer, Gittings; Reid (Gash HT), Blissett.

Subs: Styche, O’Keefe.

Attendance: 1,689 (132 away).

Referee: Mr Adam Bromley.