The Bees continued their pre-season unbeaten run in front of supporters at The Hive for the first time ahead of the new campaign, holding visitors Watford to a 2-2 stalemate.
Watford started the brighter of the two sides and had their first shot on goal inside five minutes of kick-off, but the ball was wide of the left post.
Minutes later, Amin Nabizada took aim and his effort was deflected onto the bar before being cleared away by orange shirts, before following that up with a low effort that was comfortable for the hands of Taye Ashby-Hammond who got down to gather the ball.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Kane Smith delivered a free-kick from distance, but it was safe for the hands of Johnathon Macauley in the Watford net.
Another chance fell for the Hornets and this time it was Zavier Massiah-Edwards who drove down the left flank before feeding it into the path of Michael Adu-Poku, but a Barnet foot got in the way of the shot and sent it out for a corner.
The Bees then came forward with Idris Kanu down the left-hand side and our number 11 fed the ball into the feet of Charlie Lakin, but the number eight’s effort was wide of the target.
As we approached the half-an-hour mark, Watford came close again, this time through Nikoloz Chikovan, who glanced the ball across the face of goal, but no yellow shirt was on hand to finish the move.
Barnet’s best chance of the half came in the 33rd minute, with the ball falling kindly to Kabongo Tshimanga in the box. The striker did well to work the ball into the area, but there were too many yellow shirts in the box and his shot was unable to find the back of the net.
Tshimanga was there again to latch into a ball in the final third a few minutes later, but his effort was parried out for a corner.
The Bees took the lead late in the first-half, with newcomer Charlie Lakin working the ball round the Watford defence, but slotting it past Macauley to give Barnet the lead.
The lead didn’t last long, as Massiah-Edwards netted up the other end of the pitch to give the Hornets a late equaliser in the first 45 and level proceedings going into the break.
Half-time: Barnet FC 1-1 Watford FC
The first chance of the second-half fell to the visitors as they surged forward, but Nik Tavares put his body in the way to deny them the opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net for a second.
Minutes later the Barnet number 25 slid in to clear the ball before a yellow shirt could take a shot on goal.
Dean Brennan made a double change on the hour mark. Our newest addition Will Wright entered the action, alongside Romoney Crichlow, with Brandon Comley and Tavares making way for the defenders.
The Bees regained their advantage shortly after, with Lakin being involved once again and crossing the ball into the box, where Isiah Noel-Williams was positioned to poke home.
Watford looked to respond immediately as they progressed the ball quickly into the Barnet half, but the headed effort was inches over the bar.
The Hornets found themselves looking for an equaliser for the second time this evening and were through on goal, but good communication in the backline allowed Taye Asby-Hammond to position himself and block the attack.
With just over 15 minutes to go, Trialist B came on in place of Tshimanga.
Dead ball specialist Wright stepped up to take a free-kick out on the left-hand side, as we entered the final ten minutes and forced Watford’s keeper into pushing it out for a Barnet corner.
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The visitors equalised in the 83rd minute through Luca Kjerrumaard and almost found a third when Kwadwo Baah unleashed a powerful effort through the Barnet defence, but it took a deflection and landed on top of Ashby-Hammond’s net and that was the last of the action as the referee’s whistle signalled full-time.
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Goals: Lakin (38’), Noel-Williams (64’)
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Line-up: Ashby-Hammond, Senior, Tavares (Crichlow, 61’), Williams, Smith, Trialist A, Comley (Wright, 61’), Kanu, Lakin, Noel-Williams, Tshimanga (Trialist B, 73’)
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