Barnet can be pleased with their performance against Cambridge United and were worthy of a point in a 1-1 draw in their opening League Two game of the season this afternoon.

Both goals came in a lively second half, a contrast from the relatively lack-lustre first 45 minutes.

Despite going a goal down on the hour mark Barnet responded well, deserved to draw level, finished the game on the front-foot and looked the more likely to go on and claim all three points.

The introduction of three second-half substitutes turned the game in Barnet's favour making the Bees a greater threat going forward.

Manager Martin Allen gave starting debuts to keeper Josh Vickers and midfielder Ryan Watson, but it would be the three debutants who were summoned from the bench when the Bees went a goal down that would be the match's key figures.

Chances were at a premium in the first half with both sides struggling to find any rhythm in their play, both sets of defences dominating.

With almost half an hour of play gone James Dunne hit a powerful right-footed free-kick that went narrowly wide of the target for the home side and an acrobatic effort from Bira Dembele in time added on nearly gave the Bees a lead before the half-time whistle.

Barnet had looked the stronger as the end of the half approached but they were put back on their heels with Cambridge making a very positive start to the second period.

The visitors then looked to have weathered that storm and were gaining in confidence but they would be behind on the hour mark.

A Barnet corner was headed away and a swift breakaway move down the left led to Piero Mingoia's close-range effort at the far post beating Vickers in the Barnet goal.

This goal soon prompted Barnet to make a double substitution with Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro replacing Luke Gambin and Alex Nicholls replacing right-back Harry Taylor; to accommodate the change Curtis Weston moved into defence.

This Bees were now a different proposition and the introduction of Jamal Campbell-Ryce at the expense of Michael Gash after 75 minutes paid an immediate dividend.

Campbell-Ryce showed deft ball control to find Nicholls, whose powerful shot from distance arrowed into top-left hand corner of the goal.

Barnet did not sit back and settle for a point and Ryan Watson went close when his shot with ten minutes remaining could only be parried away. Had Akpa Akpro found the well-positioned Nicholls, in time added on, rather than take a strike on goal himself the Bees could have sealed the win.

The Bees will take a great deal of heart from this performance. An away point on the first day of the season is a creditable start, but they also seem to have players that can be called from the bench to change the course of a match.

The Bees are at home on Tuesday to Millwall in the first round of the EFL Cup.

Cambridge United: Norris, Long, Dallison-Lisbon, Legge, Adams, Mingoia, Dunne, Berry, Clark (Williamson 45), Dunk (Elito 74), Pigott. Unused subs: Taylor, Keane, Gregory, Coulson, Maris.

Barnet: Vickers, Taylor (Nicholls 67), Nelson, Dembele, Johnson, Watson, Weston, Togwell, Gambin (Akpa-Akpro 65), Gash (Campbell-Ryce 75), Akinde. Unused subs: N'Gala, Muggleton, Champion, McKenzie-Lyle.