ALDERSHOT TN 1,

BARNET 1

NO win in seven matches now, but Aldershot could take pride in their gutsy draw against improving Barnet on Easter Monday.

As Gary Waddock pointed out, Aldershot were a "patched up, patched up side", yet they came close to winning a game that came vigorously to life in the second half after a humdrum first 45 minutes.

Barnet, now unbeaten in five matches, were no shy violets in the tackle and appeared to be treated leniently by referee Oliver Langford who, perversely, reserved the only yellow card of the game for Aldershot's Scott Davies.

The Shots had Anthony Charles and Dave Winfield back in harness, shoring up central defence, but the home side were all at sea in the first half, giving the ball away far too often and invariably taking the wrong option when they had the chance to catch Barnet on the break.

It was, in fact, a nightmare start for Waddock's scratch side which had midfielder Andy Sandell filling in as an emergency striker and Dean Howell playing out of position at right-back.

A decidedly odd goal gave Barnet the lead after just four minutes. Michael Leary was allowed to turn into space some 25 yards out. There seemed no reason why Nikki Bull should be unsighted – perhaps he hadn't refocused after watching the Masters the night before. Whatever the reason, this normally reliable keeper didn't react at all as Leary's low shot from well outside the area sneaked inside the right-hand post.

Barnett immediately set their stall out with some robust defending and a ragged Aldershot battled fruitlessly for much of the first half.

Scott Donnelly's deflected free-kick brought a fine save from Jake Cole and two bits of sublime skill from Kirk Hudson nearly unlocked the visitors' defence.

There was precious little else to enthuse the home fans. Indeed, Barnet almost doubled their lead shortly before half-time, Bull making a brave block to deny Adam Birchall who then put the rebound over.

Aldershot needed some of the natural timing possessed by Mark Taylor (leader of the local Howzat charity cricket side) whose sharp one-liners so embellish 'half-time entertainment' and, no doubt urged on by a rocket from Waddock, they were indeed a different side right from the restart.

Donnelly promptly smote the bar with a cracking shot that deserved to be a goal. And six minutes in, Aldershot were level.

Sandell laid the ball back to Davies whose hot shot was spilled by a sprawling Cole and Lewis Chalmers moved in to snap up a gift.

The game then opened up and Barnet, to their credit, played their part with some adventurous wide play.

A Davies corner came through to the far post where Charles' pointblank header was miraculously tipped over by Cole.

At the other end, the skilful Yannick Bolasie attempted as many step-overs on a single run as Ronaldo. There was nothing wrong with his final shot, either, and the ball was only kept out by Bull's trailing leg.

Davies was booked for a tackle from behind on Albert Odomah, much to the fury of the home fans who were then convinced that the number seven was play-acting as he lay prone on the ground. Perhaps some felt guilty when the player disappeared on a stretcher, not to return.

The on-loan Paul Furlong, still a class act at the age of 40, hit the Aldershot crossbar with a snap shot, but the best moment of the half was reserved for Hudson whose scintillating run took him from penalty box to penalty box before he unleashed a left-foot bullet that was brilliantly pushed over by Cole.

Both teams could have won it in the last quarter and both owed much to further excellent work by the keepers. Ismail Yakubu's firm header was acrobatically touched over by Bull and Winfield made a vital challenge on the goal-line after Barnet had forced three successive corners.

Then it was Cole's turn, making a goal-saving block as Hudson broke onto Sandell's knock-on.

In the dying moments, Davies took another corner and the half-cleared ball spiralled invitingly towards Donnelly who, with the chance to make a name for himself in his first start since January, volleyed over the bar.

"A bit more quality in the finish and we would have had all three points," said Gary Waddock. "The players showed commitment and character to get back into the game," continued the manager who believed that only the excellence of keeper Jake Cole, one of his former charges from QPR days, had saved Barnet from defeat.Gutsy dispo

"It's plain to see that our squad is not big enough," added Waddock who, apart from missing key players through injury, had to play others who were carrying knocks. "We'll see in the near future whether I'm able to add to what I've got."

Aldershot: Bull, Chalmers, Charles, Winfield, Straker (Soares 46), Donnelly, Davies, Sandell, Howell, Hudson, Robinson. Subs (not used): Jaimez-Ruiz, Elvins, Newman, Cochrane. Booked: Davies.

Barnet: Cole, Devera, Gillet, Yakubu (Porter 90), Breen, Bishop, Adomah (Nicolau 64), Bolasie, Leary, Birchall, Furlong. Subs (not used): Kadoch, Tabiri, Charles.

Attendance: 2,597.

Referee: Oliver Langford (W Midlands).