A strong second half showing from Barnet wasn’t enough to break down a resilient Cambridge United side.

It was the U’s who began the game strongly, and had a possible penalty claim in the fourth minute.

The Cambridge players appealed for a spot-kick for a Bira Dembele handball, but their protestations were waved away by the referee.

Barely a minute later Jordan Slew fired in a shot from the right hand side of the box, but Jamie Stephens dived to his left to keep the ball out. 

The Bees’ first chances arrived in the 11^th minute.

Michael Gash’s header was cleared off the goal line, before Curtis Weston crashed a shot against the Cambridge bar.

On 21 minutes Weston had another good effort on goal; his shot from the edge of the area was tipped round the left post by U’s keeper Chris Dunn.

A 34^th minute Elliott Johnson corner was headed goalwards by Dembele, but his effort cannoned off the underside of the bar and was cleared to safety.

Following a quiet start to the second half, the Bees sprung to life just after the hour mark.

In the 64^th minute substitute Luke Gambin picked up the ball on the left wing, before shooting over the bar.

A corner from Sam Togwell in the 69^th minute was flicked on by Mauro Vilhete; John Akinde received the ball, but his backheel was straight at the U’s keeper.

Gash then had his header cleared off the line on 73 minutes, following a Gambin corner from the right.

It was Gash who was again at the centre of the action in the 76^th minute. 

Akinde picked up the ball on the left wing, passing in to the Bees frontman who shot just wide of the right post. 

In the 88^th Minute Cambridge’s Jacob Blyth fired a looping shot just wide of Stephens right hand post. 

But it wasn’t enough to break the deadlock in an energetic and high tempo match.

The Bees travel to Yeovil Town in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday.

BARNET: Stephens (GK), Hoyte (Gambin 61’), Johnson, Dembele, N’Gala, Yiadom, Weston, Togwell, Vilhete (Batt 82’), Gash (McLean 82’), Akinde.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie-Lyle, Nelson, Champion, Muggleton. 

Attendance: 2406.