Barnet were worthy of their 1-1 draw against at Field Mill, although they did have a number of close shaves when the Mansfield Town forwards should have done better when well placed.

Barnet made five changes from the side that had convincingly seen off Notts County at The Hive in midweek as manager Martin Allen chose a more experienced starting XI for this clash where the home side still harboured ambitions of making the play-offs.

Mansfield’s usually prolific forward Matt Green forced Barnet keeper Jamie Stephens into conceding a corner with less than a minute gone, but it would be the visitors who would take the lead with only six minutes on the clock.

Michael Gash superbly controlled a high ball before lofting a pass into the path of John Akinde who headed the ball over Scott Shearer, the Mansfield keeper, who had reacted slowly to the situation.

Akinde has now scored 20 goals in all competitions for the Bees this season.

Sam Muggleton then nearly doubled Barnet’s advantage two minutes later but his effort was parried for a corner.

Barnet had enough chances to establish a two-goal lead but on the half-hour mark, against the run-of-play, the Stags levelled when Manny Dieseruvwe fired a shot high into the net from ten yards after being set up by Matty Blair.

The equaliser roused the home crowd and both Green and Adam Chapman spurned excellent opportunities for Mansfield as the game swung in favour of the home side with half-time approaching.

Early in the second half Mansfield put the Barnet goal under intense pressure, winning a series of corners. But with just ten minutes of the half gone the Bees made a double substitution, a move that would revitalise the fortunes of the visitors.

Forward Luke Gambin and teenage midfielder Harry Taylor replaced Muggleton and Mark Randall, their influence on the game having begun to fade.

Gambin soon proved to be a thorn in the side for Mansfield as he constantly raided down the left flank to set-up chances for others and have the occasional pot-shot himself.

Midway through the half a free-kick from Chapman from 25 yards was pushed over the bar by Stephens as both sides had opportunities to forge a lead.

In the second half Green again had chances to give the home side the points but in the closing moments it was Andy Yiadom and Gambin who went close to giving the Bees would have been their fourth away victory of the season.

With both sides being unable to add to their single goal apiece scored in the first half it was no surprise that they could not be separated come the final whistle.

Mansfield Town: Shearer, Daniel (Yussuf 84), Tafazolli, Collins, Benning, Baxendale (Pearce 54), Chapman, J Thomas, Blair, Green, Dieseruvwe (Lambe 69). Subs not used: Rose, Beardsley, Jensen, McGuire.

Barnet: Stephens, Pearson, N'Gala, Dembele, Johnson, Yiadom, Togwell, Randall (Taylor 55), Muggleton (Gambin 55), Akinde, Gash. Subs not used: Nelson, Batt, Sesay, Fonguck, Kyei.