Barnet will be a little disappointed to return from Plymouth Argyle with just a point after the Bees drew 0-0 with the Pilgrims.

It was a first half of little goalmouth action but Alex MacDonald should’ve have put the hosts ahead just before the break as he fired wide when through on goal.

The second period had it’s moments and a free-kick from Jordan Obita rattled the cross bar before in the final minutes MacDonald saw a shot cleared off the line.

Bees’ boss Lawrie Sanchez made two changes to the side that were defeated at Swindon in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy southern area final.

Mark Byrne dropped to the bench with Jordan Obita coming on in his spot and Michael Hector missed the game due to injury. He was replaced by Arsenal loanee Sead Hajrovic.

The Bees started the game well and top scorer Izale McLeod sent an early warning shot into the side netting.

Obita began the contest brightly and he came close to opening his Barnet account with a free kick that also rippled the side netting.

The hosts started to impose themselves on proceedings but found it difficult to really test Dean Brill in the Barnet goal.

Luke Young did manage to force the Bees’ stopper into action but it was routine work for Brill.

Sanchez’s side looked the better team in the first half as a number of wayward passes by the Pilgrims were lambasted by their supporters.

Barnet came close to breaking the deadlock when Clovis Kamdjo received the ball just outside the Plymouth box.

He took a touch and fired a shot which beat former Bee Jake Cole but bounced back off the post and out of danger.

The Pilgrims first real opportunity of the game should have led to the opening goal.

A long ball forward found Plymouth striker Nick Chadwick through but his touch was poor and Brill quickly smothered the ball.

Both sides had good spells with the ball but there was no real quality to unlock each other’s defences.

In first half stoppage time the hosts should have taken the lead. A rare mistake from Paul Downing meant his pass back to Brill was far too soft and Alex MacDonald was through on goal.

The striker quickly sized up his options and sent a shot goalwards only to see the ball drift agonisingly pass the post.

It was a chance he really should have taken and the sides went in level at the break.

Neither manager made changes at the interval and the second half began evenly.

Obita was looking to most likely player to break the deadlock and he had two shots in quick succession.

The first drifted aimlessly wide of Cole’s left hand post. The second was much closer to establishing a lead.

After Sam Deering won a free kick 30 yards out, the Reading loanee took a long run up and unleashed a tremendous shot towards goal. Cole could only watch as the ball rattled off the crossbar.

Barnet looked dangerous from set-pieces and Byrne, on in place of Obita, came close with a free-kick which flew just over the bar.

Deering then tried his luck from distance and forced Cole in to full length dive to tip the ball out of play.

The Bees were piling on the pressure and forced four corners in succession that Cole and Darren Purse dealt with well.

The Pilgrims held off the Barnet threat and created a good chance of their own in the closing ten minutes.

A cross into the box was only half cleared and MacDonald fired a half volley past Brill. Fortunately for Barnet Downing had got back onto the line and scrambled the ball away.

The game ended goalless and while Sanchez will be a little disappointed with just one point he will be happy with the performance of his side.

Barnet return to Underhill this Saturday as they take on Shrewsbury Town.

Barnet: Brill; Hajrovic, Downing, Dennehy, Saville; Deering, Hughes, Kamdjo, Obita; Holmes, McLeod.

Barnet substitutes: O’Brien, Mustoe, Byrne, N’Diaye, Yiadom.

Plymouth Argyle: Cole, Bhasera, Purse, Blanchard, Bignot, Young, Wotton, Hourihane, MacDonald, Chadwick, Hemmings.

Plymouth Argyle substitutes: Larrieu, Berry, Daley, Walton, Tsoumou.

Attendance: 5879 (83).