Barnet ended their first season at The Hive with a 1-1 draw against play-off pushing Braintree Town.

The Essex based club can still secure a place in the Skrill Premier top five but their hopes were severely dented in the closing stages of the first-half when Keanu Marsh-Brown curled an effort into the top corner. 

The Bees continued to dominate but they were pegged back by Kenny Davis who converted from the penalty spot before a Jon Nurse effort was ruled out for offside. 

After naming an experimental side for the trip to Nuneaton Town Martin Allen reinstated the likes of Nurse, Jake Hyde, Curtis Weston, Mark Byrne and Keanu Marsh-Brown to the starting XI.

The Bees made a bright start to the match with Andy Yiadom providing the attacking focal-point down the right hand side in the opening five minutes.

With less than sixty seconds on the clock Yiadom burst in behind the Braintree backline where his cross was cut out before Jake Hyde fired wide after good work from the right-back who continued to cause problems for the Irons. 

With just three minutes played the Bees created their third opportunity as some neat one-touch football allowed Weston the chance to shoot but the midfielder’s low effort flew inches wide. 

Allen’s side continued to dominate but the Irons’ luck continued as Byrne’s low shot span just out of the reach of Hyde before Elliot Johnson’s searching cross cannoned off the inside of the post and into the hands of Nick Hamann.

As the half wore on Braintree grew in confidence and they had opportunities to take the lead but Graham Stack was alert to stop James Mulley’s header moments after the forward volleyed a spectacular effort inches wide.

Barnet continued to impress but with 57 minutes on the clock Davis won a penalty before stepping up and converting the ball past Stack who got a hand to the ball but was unable to keep it out. 

With 25 minutes remaining Allen made a double change with James Harper and Hyde coming off for Luisma Villa and Iffy Allen.

Youngster Allen impressed during the 0-1 win over Nuneaton and he almost made an immediate impact playing a stunning through ball to Nurse who slotted the ball past Hamann but the flag was raised for offside. 

The substitutes breathed fresh life into the Bees attack and they linked well allowing Allen to burst into the box but just before he was able to pull the trigger he was brought, the referee waved played on.

Villa fired over in the closing stages with Allen’s side looking far the more likely to secure a winner but in the 90th minute Stack ensured a point denying Josh Laurent with a superb stop.

As the final whistle sounded and brought an end to the Bees’ first season at The Hive their was no pitch invasion but 12 months from now, who knows…