It was heartbreak at The Hive this afternoon, as Bromley’s strike in the dying moments of the game denied Barnet all three points.
Nicke Kabamba’s early strike was cancelled out when Phillip Chinedu scored his first goal in amber and black six minutes later, with the tie level at the half-way stage.
The Bees had momentum in the second 45 and despite seeing captain Danny Collinge receive his marching orders, took the lead shortly after through Kabongo Tshimanga’s spot-kick.
Ravens’ substitute George Evans dealt the blow for the Bees as his 90+11th strike made sure of a point for the league-leaders.
Dean Brennan named an unchanged side to face the Ravens, with Idris Kanu returning from international duty and taking his place on the bench, as well as Kane Smith who was named in the matchday squad for the first time since coming off injured away at Colchester United in February.
The Ravens pressed from the first whistle and had the first chance on goal inside two minutes, sending a shot from close-range over the bar following a long throw.
The Bees launched a counter-attack, with Kabongo Tshimanga holding the ball up well, before playing it out to Nnamdi Ofoborh on the right-hand side. Our number 28 found Adam Senior in plenty of space to send the ball into the back post, where Phil Chinedu was waiting, but the defender couldn’t latch onto it to send the ball goalwards.
Cieran Slicker was called into action not long after, with Corey Whitely played through one-on-one, but our number 29 stood firm an d parried away the goal-bound effort.
Bromley took the lead moments later through former Bee Nicke Kabamba who found the target from inside the area.
The Ravens didn’t have the advantage for long however. Phillip Chinedu received the ball on the byline out on the left-hand side and as it was looking like he was delivering the ball to a teammate closer to goal, the number 22’s effort evaded everybody and found its way into the back of the net to draw things level.
The Bees looked to continue the momentum after finding the equaliser, with Senior sending a looping effort into the top right corner, but Grant Smith was able to claw the ball away.
In what was a very end-to-end game of football and both sides continued to look for an opening. Chinedu found Ofoborh on the edge of the area, but he could only curl his effort wide of the target.
Half-time: Barnet FC 1-1 Bromley
Shelton was fouled shortly after the restart and Ryan Glover stepped up to take the set-piece from outside the box and forced Smith to tip his effort over then bar and out for a Bees’ corner.
Our number 19 was fouled a second time and this time chose to take the free-kick, but his effort was straight over the bar.
Tshimanga was the next amber and black shirt to take aim, driving down the centre of the pitch and striking a powerful effort that had to be pushed away by Smith in the visiting net.
Damola Ajayi had plenty of space to get forward with the ball in the midfield and took aim, but it was straight into the hands of Slicker and up the other end, Glover let loose from outside the area, but it headed wide.
Before the 70 minute mark hit, the Bees found themselves down a man down, with Danny Collinge seeing red for an incident that occurred in the penalty area.
The Bees were awarded a penalty five minutes later, with referee David Rock pointing to the spot. Tshimanga stepped up and slotted his spot-kick into the bottom right corner to give Barnet the lead.
The Ravens looked to respond, but Mitch Pinnock’s header was claimed by Slicker.
The Bees’ continued to use their momentum despite being a man light. Tshimanga drove down the right before playing the ball into the area, with Glover sliding to meet it, but our number 15 couldn’t make the connection.
Our first change of the afternoon saw Joe Kizzi replace Chinedu in defence.
Shelton and Glover both had attempts on goal in the final moments of the game, with the latter making way for the returning Idris Kanu who entered the action, before ten minutes were added to the 90.
Slicker rose to collect a Pinnock header from a corner as Bromley looked for a late equaliser.
Oli Hawkins was introduced in added time, with our second goalscorer of the afternoon making way.
Kanu charged with the ball into the final third and it eventually found Hawkins in the box who shot from close-range, but Smith came off his line to deny the number 12.
Pinnock tried his luck again for the visitors, this time floating the ball goalward, but it fell nicely into the palms of Slicker.
With the ten minutes added now gone, Bromley equalised through substitute George Evans levelling proceedings at The Hive.
Full-time: Barnet FC 2-2 Bromley
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Stead, Glover (Kanu, 89’), Shelton, Tshimanga (Hawkins, 90+3’), Chinedu (Kizzi, 82’), Crichlow, Tavares, Ofoborh
Goals: Chinedu (18’), Tshimanga (76’)
Attendance: 3,903 with 1,352 visitors