Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed a great goalkeeper is worth 15 points per season. In Graham Stack, Barnet have an excellent keeper and he proved his worth once more tonight as The Bees drew 1-1 with FC Halifax Town.

A hard-earned point at The Shay means Barnet go a point clear of Bristol Rovers at the Conference summit and had it not been for the excellent Stack between the posts, the visitors could quite feasibly have returned from north Yorkshire with nothing to show for their efforts.

Having excelled at Eastleigh three days earlier, former Arsenal gloveman Stack was in top form once more to first keep the game scoreless and then preserve a fragile lead earned from Curtis Weston’s second in as many games.

However, with time running out and David Stephens sent off for a second booking, Stack could do nothing as Lois Maynard nodded home from Richard Peniket’s free-kick to deny Barnet maximum points.

Martin Allen named an unchanged from the one which beat Eastleigh 2-1 last time out to return to the Conference summit.

Sam Muggleton – having started at left-back at Eastleigh – was pushed onto the left-hand side of midfield, allowing Elliott Johnson to revert to his natural left-back role.

Vice-captain Weston was once again behind lone frontman John Akinde in a ‘number ten’ role.

On a poor surface the two teams began steadily, sounding each other out until Weston came close on 14 minutes.

The midfielder latched onto Mauro Vilhete’s through ball after Sam Togwell had done well to break up the play but goalkeeper Matt Glennon was sharply off his line to block.

After a bright start from The Bees it was Halifax who enjoyed a spate of chances, with Peniket and Stack seemingly enjoying a private duel.

Former Fulham forward Peniket first went close when he met Adam Smith’s corner to force a sharp stop from The Bees’ number one.

Peniket then connected Scott McManus’ cross but his volley was again superbly blocked by Stack.

And the 6ft 3in striker tried his luck again moments later when he met another corner only for Stack to claim at the second attempt.

But Barnet went into half-time laying claim to having the best chance of the half as Andy Yiadom motored forward before drilling low against the base of Glennon’s post via a deflection.

Head coach Allen threw caution to the wind at half-time, introducing Michael Gash in place of Conor Clifford; Weston dropping back into a conventional midfield role to partner Togwell.

And Gash almost made an impact within minutes of his arrival as Akinde’s cross was spilled by Glennon with the former Cambridge United hitman on the spot.

It was Akinde’s chance to go close just before the hour mark, racing onto Johnson’s lofted pass but only managing to shoot straight at Glennon from a good position.

Barnet continued to knock on the door, with Togwell of all people bringing a good stop out of Glennon from the edge of the penalty area after 61 minutes.

The former Carlisle United and Huddersfield Town stopper spilled the resulting corner but Togwell could only scuff his contact as the ball landed at his feet.

In the 67th minute Barnet’s pressure finally told.

From substitute Lee Cook’s corner, Weston headed beyond Glennon into the top corner of the net to register for the second time in four days and give The Bees a priceless lead.

It took a brilliant block from Yiadom to prevent the home side from levelling immediately, the England ‘C’ seemingly appearing from no-where to slide in and block Peniket’s route to goal as he looked set to let fly.

Halifax continued to ramp up the pressure; substitute Jack Muldoon seemingly controlling with his hand before bringing another fine save out of Stack with a volley.

With The Bees set for a huge three points in the promotion race, disaster struck.

First David Stephens was given his marching orders following a second yellow card for a foul just outside the penalty area.

And from the resulting free kick Maynard met Peniket’s free-kick delivery and nodded beyond Stack to deny Barnet maximum points.

With seven games left to play, it’s officially squeaky bum time as Sir Alex once quipped.

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, N'Gala, Stephens, Johnson; Vilhete, Togwell, Clifford (Gash HT), Muggleton (Cook 58); Weston; Akinde (Saville 90).

Subs: Cowler (GK), Luisma.

FC Halifax Town: Glennon; Bolton, Hutchison, M. Roberts, McManus; Maynard, Pearson, Marshall (Hattersley 87); Smith (Muldoon 64), Peniket, Jackson.

Subs: Senior (GK), Williams, K. Roberts.

Referee: Ross Joyce.

Attendance: 1,127 (133 away supporters)