The Bees headed into today’s early kick-off off the back of an impressive win on the road against Walsall and were looking to extend their unbeaten run to six games.
The visitors were looking for their first win in five games, most recently losing out to MK Dons in a closely-contested battle that the Buckinghamshire side came out on the right side of in a 3-2 victory.
Dean Brennan named an unchanged XI for today’s test, with the bench having a shuffle around. Ben Winterburn returned to the squad for the first time since New Year’s Day, while our newest addition Jack Howland made the matchday squad for the first time.
Nik Tavares also returned amongst the substitutions after missing last week’s meeting at the Bescot Stadium.
The Bees started brightly and were able to progress the ball up the pitch, but before Idris Kanu could work it into the area, a Cheltenham Town shirt was able to nick it from the feet of the number 11.
The first corner of the afternoon was whipped in by Anthony Hartigan but punched away confidently by Joe Day in the Robins’ net.
The Cheltenham shot-stopper was called into action shortly after to parry away a low effort that was heading goalwards from Nnamdi Ofoborh outside the area.
Barnet continued to dominate early proceedings, with Ryan Glover sending the ball into the area from out on the right, but the ball fell to Kanu who couldn’t get it out from under his feet to complete the counter-attack.
Another entry into the box saw the ball bounce high, with Kane Smith connecting with it, but he could only hook it wide of the target.
The chances kept coming, with Glover and Smith combining down the right-hand side.
The latter sent the ball into the area, but Kabongo Tshimanga sent his header wide.
Moments later, Hartigan played a lovely through ball, but our number 20 couldn’t latch onto it and Day was there to gather for the visitors.
Continuing to push for the opener, the ball fell Mark Shelton in the area, but the midfielder’s looped effort didn’t dip enough to find the back of the net.
Smith and Glover combined excellently again, with the number 23 finding Tshimanga in the box. Our number 20 looked to back heel it towards goal, but the effort was deflected out for a corner.
Hartigan sent a corner into the near post, with Glover getting a flick on, but our number 15 sent it out for a goal-kick as the first-half ticked past the half-an-hour mark.
One of the best chances of the half fell right before referee Sam Mulhall blew his whistle to signal the conclusion of the first 45. Glover looped the ball into the area and it fell to an unmarked Adam Senior, but he couldn’t direct his header goalwards.
Half-time: Barnet FC 0-0 Cheltenham Town
The Bees lost the ball in a dangerous area following the restart, allowing the visitors to get forward, but Jake Bickerstaff’s final ball was sent soaring.
Cheltenham were then awarded a free-kick and the chance to take the lead early in the second-half, but Isaac Hutchinson’s effort was wide of the target.
Glover continued to play balls into the area and this time it was Senior who struck it powerfully, but it was over the bar from the number five.
A triple change was made just after the hour mark. Kane Smith, Mark Shelton and Joe Kizzi made way for Philip Chinedu, Britt Assombalonga and Joe Kizzi.
Our number 27 was straight into the action when Glover played a ball across the byline and he tried to steer it past Day at the near post, but the Cheltenham shot-stopper made the save to deny the Bees’ forward.
Jack Howland came on for his debut in black and amber with ten minutes of normal time to play, replacing Kanu.
The visitors had a chance for a late goal when Hutchinson charged forward with the ball, but his final touch after finding himself himself one-on-one with Slicker was straight into the hands of our number 29.
Hartigan sent a late corner curling goalwards as the Bees’ looked to break the deadlock in the final moments, but the set-piece was deflected out for a corner, with the delivery not troubling the Cheltenham defence.
Eight minutes were added at the end of the 90, in which the visitors were down to ten men after Arkell Jude-Boyd received a second yellow, but neither side could find an opening as the clock wound down and referee Sam Mulhall.
Full-time: Barnet FC 0-0 Cheltenham Town
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Kanu (Howland, 80’), Glover, Hartigan, Shelton (Assombalonga, 63’), Tshimanga, Smith (Chinedu, 63), Ofoborh, Kizzi (Tavares, 63’)
Attendance: 2,429, with 289 visitors