The points were shared at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium as the Bees drew their fourth league game on the bounce and extended their unbeaten run on the road to eight games.
Dean Brennan made one change to the team that started against Cambridge, with Kane Smith replacing Ben Winterburn who took his place on the bench.
The selection of substitutes looked different this afternoon, with Britt Assombalonga returning to the fold and Rhys Browne back in the squad after last featuring for the Bees in our season opener against Fleetwood Town.
The Bees enjoyed plenty of the ball in the opening few minutes, but the first chance of the tie fell for the Gills, when a Remeao Hutton long throw fell to Bradley Dack, who miss-timed the strike of the ball from close-range.
A great passage of play then followed for the Bees, with Ryan Glover playing the ball through to Idris Kanu from the middle of the park. Our number eleven then played the ball behind the on-running Lee Ndlovu who couldn’t latch onto it.
Cieran Slicker stood strong following another threatening Gills’ long throw, which fell to the feet of Dack. The Gillingham number 23 struck his effort powerfully but it was straight at our number 29 who denied the hosts’ captain.
Kane Smith whipped in a free-kick for the Bees as the momentum swung in our favour and Adam Senior was able to run in from behind the Gillingham defence and get a toe on it, but it was comfortable for shot-stopper Jake Turner.
Glover tried his luck shortly after from inside the box, but his clean effort that was heading into the back of the net was cleared off the line by Dack who was in the right place at the right time for Gareth Ainsworth’s side.
The hosts equalised from a free-kick in added time in the first 45, with Dack the player in on the action again as he struck the ball effortlessly into the roof of the net to level proceedings going into the break.
Half-time: Gillingham FC 1-1 Barnet FC
A half-time substitution for Barnet saw Oli Hawkins replace Lee Ndlovu up front.
The second 45 was a lot quieter, with little goal-mouth action for either side in Kent.
Smith took aim from outside the area for the Bees ten minutes after the restart and the ball soared not too far over the bar.
Max Clark was in plenty of space for the hosts, but his effort went well wide and out for a Bees’ goal-kick.
On the 65th minute, Glover tracked back excellently into defence to stop a Gillingham attack, nicking the ball away from the blue shirt in the final third.
Dack was in on the action again as he directed a header wide from the centre of the area.
Kanu drove through the midfield with the ball as the half progressed, but before he could lay the ball into the path of a teammate, blue shirts surrounded him and nicked the ball from under his feet.
An important header from Nik Tavares diverted danger away from the Barnet box, with the score remaining level as the game entered the final ten minutes.
Dean Brennan made a late triple change, with Britt Assombalango, Rhys Browne and Ben Winterburn coming on in place of Smith, Nnamdi Ofoborh and Stead.
Ollie Kensdale replaced Glover minutes later in our final change.
Four minutes were added at the end of the second-half, and the Bees were awarded a free-kick in a very similar area to that of where Dack scored from earlier in the game.The free-kick routine almost paid off, with Browne involved in getting the ball into a good position, but the ball was deflected out for a corner.
Barnet’s last chance of the game came when Browne delivered a brilliant ball to the back post, which was met by Assombalonga, but the striker couldn’t get the contact he needed to send the ball into the back of the net.
Full-time: Gillingham FC 1-1 Barnet FC
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Ndlovu (Hawkins’ 45’) Stead (Assombalonga, 85’) Kanu, Glover (Kensdale, 88’), Shelton, Smith (Browne, 85’), Tavares, Ofoborh (Winterburn, 85’)