In true Barnet FC fashion the final day of the season resulted in drama as the Bees came from 3-1 down to secure a 3-3 draw against Lincoln City.

Ahmed Abdulla opened the scoring from the spot with five minutes played but the hosts responded through Nat Brown within 60 seconds of the restart.

Kris Bright headed the Imps into the lead early in the second period and Ben Tomlinson struck his 20th league goal of the season to make it 3-1 and seemingly seal three points.

However, the Bees rallied and youngster Iffy Allen lashed home his first senior goal to reduce the deficit before Jake Hyde took centre stage to fire home the final Skrill Premier goal of the season in the 97th minute. 

Martin Allen made eight changes to the side who drew 1-1 with Braintree Town on Easter Monday with Jamal Lowe, Freddie Warren, Luke Gambin, Ahmed Abdulla, Harry Crawford, Mauro Vilhete and Allen all being named in the starting XI. 

The match started at breakneck speed with Lincoln City’s Tomlinson grazing the post with a low shot moments before Gambin’s mazy run into the Imps’ box was abruptly halted for a penalty kick.

With Keanu Marsh-Brown absent, midfielder Abdulla stepped up and there were no problems as he cooly dispatched the ball past Nick Townsend to send the Bees into a fifth minute lead.

It didn’t last long however with the home side levelling within 120 seconds of the restart as Brown volleyed home a corner from close range. 

Gambin continued to threaten down the wing with fellow Academy product Iffy Allen also tormenting the Imps’ backline as Valentin Gjokaj headed wide with 13 minutes played.

Martin Allen’s side continued to push forward and they were unlucky not to retake the lead on three occasions as Jamal Lowe saw a shot blocked, a shot saved and a shot cleared off the line within the space of eight minutes.

Despite experiencing the better of the play the Bees almost fell behind on 41 minutes when right-back Tom Miller seized possession and drove into opposition territory, from there he played a neat one-two with Jon Nolan but he was only able to fire against the post as Nick Jupp rushed out to close the angle. 

Barnet responded by hitting the woodwork themselves as Gambin, who was described by one of the Lincoln commentators as Lionel Messi, struck the crossbar from 25-yards as the half ended Lincoln City 1 Barnet 1.

The Imps burst out of the blocks following the restart and within 60 seconds they took the lead as Bright headed Miller’s searching cross past Jupp from six-yards.

A dazzling run from Allen resulted in the Bees having an effort ruled out for offside when his cross, which was flicked on by the offside Lowe, was tapped in by Crawford. 

Tomlinson made it 3-1 shortly after but a driving run from the diminutive Gambin reaped reward as he found Allen who lashed a first-time strike past Townsend for his first senior goal. 

A triple change followed with Hyde, Mark Byrne and Luisma Villa replacing Abdulla, Lowe and Crawford and the changes almost brought reward as Villa played in Hyde who snatched at the chance and blazed over. 

Chances continue to fall for both sides in the latter stages with Jake Sheridan sending an effort cannoning of the woodwork and Allen somehow heading a Villa free-kick over the crossbar from close range. 

Several pitch invasions in closing stages meant eight minutes were added on and with just one of them remaining top scorer Hyde fired the ball into the net to secure a deserved point on the final day of the 2013/14 season. 

On a day where youth was given a chance the young Bees impressed and with a core of Graham Stack, David Stephens, Andy Yiadom and Luisma Villa already in place ahead of the next campaign the future looks incredibly bright. 

Watch this space…