Barnet and Leyton Orient played out a lacklustre scoreless draw at The Hive in a game that never really got going.

Both teams created few genuine opportunities, the goalkeepers were rarely tested and neither team did enough to mount a serious case to argue that they deserved to win.

Bees boss Martin Allen rotated his charges, making five changes to the team that had played out an entertaining 2-2 draw against Morecambe in midweek. In came keeper Josh Vickers, Bira Dembele, Harry Taylor, Luke Gambin and Shaun Batt at the expense of Jamie Stephens, Bondz N’Gale, Curtis Weston, Alex Nicholls and Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

The O’s were the first to have an effort of note when defender Callum Kennedy shot from distance, but his effort lacked power and was easily collected by Vickers.

Barnet made inroads and on 15 minutes a delivery into the middle by Jamal Campbell-Ryce picked out Gambin lurking at the far post but again his strike lacked power and precision.

Jay Simpson was guilty of spurning a golden opportunity to put the O’s ahead when he was set up by Gavin Massey but once more Vickers in the Barnet goal was not tested.

With half-time looming, Dembele did get the ball into the Orient net following a well-worked corner routine but he was adjudged to have used his hands, the goal being disallowed and the Barnet defender picking up a yellow card.

Barnet’s top scorer John Akinde was being well-marshalled by the Orient defence with centre-back Tom Parkes looking commanding.

Midway through the second half Akinde did at last break free and went on a solo run before, eventually, his progress towards goal was halted when Parkes received a caution for a cynical foul.

Barnet came closest to breaking the deadlock when midfielder Sam Togwell’s well-struck effort from 20 yards required Alex Cisak to make a fine one-handed save.

In the closing exchanges Orient substitutes Jordan Bowery and Ollie Palmer both had half-chances but Vickers was in no mood to concede in front of a large travelling contingent housed in the new North Stand that opened for the first time.

Barnet: Vickers, Vilhete, Dembélé, Nelson, Johnson, Campbell-Ryce, (Akpa-Akpro 71), Taylor (Nicholls 45), Togwell, Gambin, Batt (Weston 29), Akinde. Subs not used: Stephens, N'Gala, Watson, Muggleton.