The spoils were shared at the Hive this afternoon as Barnet let a 2-0 lead slip in matchday 15 of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two campaign.
Dean Brennan made three changes to the side that featured in the league last time out against Barrow. Cieran Slicker returned from suspension in between the sticks, with Mark Shelton and Ben Winterburn also getting the nod; the latter making his second league start since joining the Bees in September.
The Bees were awarded a free-kick with 30 seconds on the clock following a shove on Lee Ndlovu. Ben Winterburn took the set piece out on the right-hand side and the ball eventually fell to Callum Stead in the box, but his goalward shot was blocked.
Another golden opportunity fell for Barnet after ten minutes had passed. Senior worked the ball well out on the left and played the ball to Nnamdi Ofoborh, who found the feet of Idris Kanu, but the latter couldn’t get the right connection on the ball to find the back of the net.
The Bees took their chance soon after from a short corner taken by Nnamdi Ofoborh. The ball made its way back to our number 28, and his delivery into the area was pounced on by Adam Senior who headed home for his third of the season.
The momentum continued for the hosts and a free-kick was fumbled by Connal Trueman in the visitors’ net, allowing Senior to strike from the edge of the area; his effort taking a deflection and heading out for a Barnet corner.
Ryan Glover was fouled in the area and referee James Durkin pointed to the penalty spot just before the half an hour mark. Mark Shelton stepped up and calmly dispatched his spot-kick past Connal Trueman to double out lead.
More great work in the final third, with the ball at the feet of Stead as the first-half progressed. Our number ten played the ball to Shelton, before receiving the ball again, but losing his footing before he could get his shot away.
MK Dons closed the gap late on in the first 45, with Jack Sanders capitlising from a corner to get the Buckinghamshire side back in the game before the break.
A couple of chances fell for both sides before the referee blew his whistle for half-time. Ofoborh tried from distance but it was comfortably gathered by Trueman and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy stepped up and looped a free-kick over the wall for MK Dons, but it was off target.
Half-time: Barnet FC 2-1 MK Dons
There were huge penalty shouts from the visiting supporters shortly after the restart, but the referee waved them away quickly.
The Bees were awarded an indirect free-kick following a back-pass. Shelton struck his effort into the back of the net, but the goal was not given as there seemed to be no other touch on the ball before crossing the line.
Paul Warne’s side grew into the game, showing their quality in abundance and it was their number 11 Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who found the equaliser on 65 minutes.
Stead was played through on goal as Barnet looked to turn things around, but our number ten was taken out by visiting goalscorer Sanders who was only shown yellow. Shelton was over the resulting set-piece, but the midfielder sent it over the bar.
Cieran Slicker was called into action with 15 minutes to go, making one of his only saves of the game to deny Luke Offord’s volley.
Our first change of the afternoon followed, with Dean Brennan bringing on Anthony Hartigan and Emmanuel Osadebe in place of Ben Winterburn and Mark Shelton.
MK Dons surged forward again and had two bodies in the box to try and get on the end of a long ball, but Slicker judged the path of the ball well and was able to collect.
With less than ten minutes to go, the visitors were frustrated not to score a third, with Mendez-Laing completely unmarked in the area, but he smashed his effort into the roof of the net.
Another double change was made, with Lee Ndlovu and Callum Stead making way for Oli Hawkins and Kane Smith.
Hawkins had the ball in the back of the net in added time, but the linesman’s flag was swiftly up for offside and despite a late flurry of positivity for the home side, the tie remained level at the final whistle.
Full-time: Barnet FC 2-2 MK Dons
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Ndlovu (Hawkins, 83’), Stead (Smith, 83’), Kanu, Glover, Winterburn (Hartigan, 74’), Shelton (Osadebe, 74’), Tavares, Ofoborh
Goals: Senior (13’), Shelton (28’)
Attendance: 3,597, with 1,342 visitors