Barnet 1 Morecambe 1

Nationwide Conference

A 30-yard screamer from John Doolan salvaged a point for Barnet on Saturday in a hard-fought encounter at Underhill.

Morecambe, boasting one of the most potent attacks in the Conference, started the game the brighter and poached an early advantage with only 14 minutes on the clock. Tricky winger Lee Elam capitalised on some slack Barnet defending when able to run clean through on goal sticking the ball past Lee Harrison at the second attempt after the Barnet keeper blocked his first effort.

Falling behind galvanised Barnet into a quick riposte and the Bees had a penalty appeal turned down soon after when Wayne Purser appeared to be brought down in the area.

However, the Shrimps could have so easily been two goals to the good when a Wayne Curtis effort was cleared off the line by Lee Pluck.

But it wasn't long before Doolan added his name to the impressive list of strikes from Barnet players this season. Picking the ball up 30 yards out there was only one thing on the burly midfielder's mind and he consummately beat Craig Mawson.

Morecambe, playing with five across midfield, continued to press after the break and Stuart Drummond narrowly missed the target when his 35-yard shot clipped the top of the crossbar with Harrison beaten.

Not to be outdone, Barnet substitute Leon Bell also went agonisingly close when his 12-yard volley crashed against the bar following a Mark Gower corner.

Barnet boss Peter Shreeves said: "We do seem to have a problem with Saturday afternoon games here at home. We've not played as well, or anywhere near as well as we play in the evening games.

"The problem for me is that we've got boys coming back off a three month lay-off and three games in a week probably took a lot out of us. But I still feel this Barnet side, once we get a few senior players back, are well capable of going on a run of five victories and that would make us contenders for where we want to be."

BARNET: Harrison, Gledhill, Yakubu (Pope 70), Pluck, Soloman, Purser (Oshitola 73), Doolan, Gower, Brown (Bell 59), Strevens, Agogo. Subs not used: Millard, Midgley. Attendance: 1,250. Man of the match: Doolan.

September 30, 2002 11:00