Former U's striker Michael Gash came closest to sealing consecutive wins for Barnet but the Bees could not find a way past a stubborn Cambridge United side in a goalless draw at The Hive this afternoon.

Gash, who spent two years at Abbey Road scoring 20 times in 59 league starts before leaving in 2013, came within a whisker of his first goal in th Football League on two occasions.

Yet the Bees were left to settle for a point against Richard Money's side, who had been unbeaten until a heavy 3-0 reverse against Crawley Town last weekend.

From Martin Allen's point of view the positives are four points from two and back-to-back clean sheets against two sides heavily backed to finish in the top seven in League Two this season.

The Bees head coach made six changes from the side beaten 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup on Tuesday evening, reverting to 4-4-2.

In came Gavin Hoyte, Andy Yiadom, Sam Togwell, Curtis Weston, John Akinde and Gash.

Jamie Stephens was handed his full league debut in place of the injured Graham Stack, meaning Under-18s goalkeeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle stepped up to the substitutes’ bench.

Hoyte, Bondz N’Gala, Bira Dembele and Elliott Johnson were across the back four, whilst Yiadom, Togwell, Weston and Mauro Vilhete comprised the midfield. Akinde and Gash were up front.

Cambridge felt they might have had a penalty early on for handball against Dembele but referee Nicholas Kinseley saw otherwise and waved away their appeals.

Former Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Slew then brought a good save out of ex-Liverpool youngster Stephens in the Bees goal.

The Bees had the better of the first half and twice struck the woodwork as they looked to build on their first win back in League Two, secured against Northampton Town last Tuesday.

Gash might have opened his account in the Football League when he saw a header cleared off the line before returning captain, Weston, struck the crossbar for the Bees.

Dembele also went close to an opener in the early exchanges, thumping a header against the underside of Chris Dunn’s crossbar after meeting Johnson’s corner kick.

Akinde might have scored on another day when he backheeled a corner straight at Dunn after meeting Vilhete’s flick from a Togwell corner.

The Bees continued to push for a winner after the break, Gash again seeing a header cleared off the line by the U’s after meeting substitute Luke Gambin’s corner.

And the ex-Cambridge United striker’s one-man mission to open his account in the Football League again came up short when he lashed agonizingly wide from Akinde’s lay-off.

Cambridge had the game’s last chance of note, Jacob Blyth looping wide of Stephens’ right-hand post in the 88th minute before a forgettable contest was ended.

Barnet are back on the road on Tuesday evening when they head to Yeovil Town in the first round of the Football League Trophy.

Barnet: Stephens; Hoyte (Gambin 61), N’Gala, Dembele, Johnson; Yiadom, Togwell, Weston (c), Vilhete (Batt 81); Akinde, Gash (McLean 81).

Subs: McKenzie-Lyle (GK), Nelson, Champion, Muggleton.

Cambridge United: Dunn; Taylor, Legge, Roberts, Dunk; Donaldson, Berry, L.Hughes, J.Hughes (Omozusi 59); Slew (Blyth 66), Simpson (Carr 88).

Subs: Beasant (GK), Coulson, Taft, Newton.

Referee: Nick Kinseley.

Attendance: 2,406.