A Barnet Development XI lost an entertaining friendly against Dagenham & Redbridge at The Hive on Tuesday, going down 3-2 in a close encounter.

After taking the lead, Barnet – who featured five Youth Team players from the start and introduced eight more from the bench – pushed an older and more experienced Dagenham side that was made up of a mix of first team and U21 players right to the final whistle.

Barnet lined up with a back four made up entirely of U18 players in front of Sam Cowler in goal. Senior players David Hunt and Luke Gambin started in midfield, with Adam Mekki and Bernard Mensah joining Keanu Marsh-Brown as an attacking three.

The Bees took the lead after half an hour through Adam Mekki, who neatly finished with a chest and volley into the bottom corner of the net from inside the box.

However, Dagenham equalised shortly after half-time after a cross from the left was tucked in from ten yards out.

Barnet made nine changes during the second half, one of which saw Sam Muggleton feature for the first time since suffering a leg fracture away at Braintree back in September.

The visitors took the lead with fifteen minutes remaining, converting a cross from the right this time, before making it 3-1 with five minutes remaining as they hit Barnet on the counter attack with the Bees pushing for an equaliser.

Youth Team captain Harry Taylor did pull one back during the dying minutes with an excellent finish into the far corner with the outside of his foot following a long period of possession featuring countless passes.

However, a young Barnet side narrowly ran out of time as they searched for a result to go alongside their positive performance against some tough opposition.

Barnet XI: Sam Cowler (Kai McKenzi-Lyle); Harry Taylor, Joe Gater, Tamille Roache (Charlie Kennedy), Keir Dickson (Sam Muggleton); Mathew Stevens (Ryan Gondoh), David Hunt (Wesley Fonguck), Luke Gambin (Fumnaya Shomotun); Adam Mekki (Elliot Harris), Bernard Mensah (Shane Cojocarel), Keanu Marsh-Brown (Alfie Cain).