Shaun Batt says it is time for him to start contributing to Barnet and admits head coach Martin Allen could have written him off a long time ago.

The striker, who joined the Bees on a two-year deal from Leyton Orient in the summer, made just his second league start of the season in Saturday’s goalless draw with Carlisle United.

Despite being earmarked for a maximum of 70 minutes the Harlow-born striker started and finished Saturday’s stalemate in John Akinde’s absence.

Speaking afterwards, Batt said: “I want to play as many games as I can and score as many goals as I can. I’m late starting this season.

"Personally I feel it’s time I started contributing to the team.”

Allen has stressed the need for patience with a player who, before Saturday, last completed 90 minutes in the league in December 2014 and waited until November for his first league start as a Barnet player.

“It’s been very frustrating to be honest,” admitted Batt. “The gaffer has been very patient with me.

“I feel like I’m getting back to the best fitness I’ve been at for a very long time. Hopefully there’s a lot more to come.”

He added: “The manager’s faith has been very important. He could have written me off a long time ago but he’s stuck with me.

“We’ve had to do a lot of work behind the scenes which a lot of people wouldn’t have known about.

“Full credit goes to him because he’s got me to the stage I’m at now where I’m competing and able to sprint right through until the end of games.”

Explaining his workload, Batt said: “I’ve been in the gym. I’ve been doing 2000m rows, 5km on the cross trainer, three miles on the bike – a regular session I’ve been doing; sometimes before training, sometimes after training.

“It’s been very tough but hopefully I will reap the rewards, get a run in the team and hopefully do well.”

Batt had a couple of Barnet’s better opportunities to score against the Cumbrians.

He lashed a bobbling ball wide of Mark Gillespie’s far post in the first half before slipping at the crucial moment in the second half after rounding his marker.

“I can’t even blame my footwear because I had studs on,” he chuckled. “It’s just the surface at this time of year.

“I was gutted, to be honest, because I felt like I was past him and could maybe have put that away.”

He added: “On a personal level I’m very pleased with that. I got 90 minutes for the Development Team (against Southend United) on Tuesday so to get through another 90 today I’m really pleased.

“I got a bit of cramp, to be honest, in the last seven or eight minutes – which I expected – but I’m fine.

“I thought I did ok and worked hard. I had a couple of chances and would have liked to put one away.

"I will go again and hopefully be involved next game and try to stick one away.”

Click here to read Martin Allen's thoughts on Shaun Batt's second League Two start of the season.