It’s a long way to go and return empty-handed, but Barnet did enough to warrant at least a point for their efforts.

The locals could hardly believe that it was their side that would eventually lay claim to all the spoils.

Perhaps the outcome was determined in the opening minutes when Barnet failed to clear a well-delivered free-kick from skipper Danny Grainger allowing Tom Miller to head home from close range.

And this was before any pattern of play had developed.

Barnet responded positively to this set-back with shots and headers from close range and from distance peppering the home goal.

These were chances that should have been converted; they were better than half-chances.

On 19 minutes the unthinkable occurred with Carlisle extending their lead.

From a breakaway Derek Asamoah advanced goalwards before calmly evading any challenge that might come his way before powering a shot past Jamie Stephens.

Again the Bees continued to create opportunities only to spurn them, but such was the intensity of the pressure a goal for the visitors was almost inevitable.

Barnet opened their account when Bira Dembélé, always a danger from set-plays, headed home from an inswinging corner from Luke Gambin on 29 minutes.

Within two minutes the visitors were level when Gambin, this time down the left, put in a cross which Michael Gash headed home for his first goal in League football.

The Bees had deserved this and the home side was reeling.

This was a game that was now ripe for Barnet to win.

John Akinde was then gifted an opportunity by clumsy defending but he hit the side-netting when well-placed.

The home side’s attacks were now few and far between but they did contain the element of surprise. 

It continued to rain chances for Barnet to surge ahead but just after the hour mark though a breakaway, the home side’s only attacking ploy, the Cambrians took the lead.

From a well-worked move down the right the ball was invitingly delivered into the middle for Asamoah to score from close range.

Barnet still kept plugging away with Dembélé hitting the woodwork for the second-time and Mark Gillespie, the Carlisle keeper being fully employed in keeping the Bees from levelling.

The game continued in this vein to its conclusion.

At the whistle the home side was cheered off the pitch by virtue of hanging on, yet they had been booed off at half-time.

This game was one-sided, there is no doubt about that, and Barnet would have won had they converted their chances, but failure to do so cost the Bees dear at Brunton Park and undoubtedly it will be something that they need to address.