Darlington 2 Barnet 2

Last updated : 20 December 2008 By Footymad Previewer
Central defender Ismail Yakubu grabbed a 76th minute equaliser that earned his side a deserved point after a battling display at the Darlington Arena almost saw the north Londoners take all three points.

After five league and cup games without a win, Darlington needed an early breakthrough in order to calm their nerves against strugglers Barnet.

It came after only seven minutes when striker Liam Hatch headed a pinpoint right-wing cross from Seb Carole into the bottom of the net from close range.

Barnet levelled in the 19th minute when John O'Flynn was allowed time to fire a low shot past Simon Brown from the edge of the area after the Darlington defence had failed to deal with Adam Birchall's cross.

The hosts responded with a piledriver from Jason Kennedy that was turned away by Rob Beckwith in the 24th minute.

Darlington regained their advantage seconds later when, from the short corner dispatched into the area by Carole, Hatch flung himself at the ball to head in his second goal of the game

In the 50th minute, the Darlington goal came under threat as Barnet captain Michael Leary fired a free-kick over the Darlington bar and the home side went close again in the 62nd minute when Franz Burgmeier curled a shot inches wide from Hatch's knock down.

Hatch's strike partner Billy Clarke fired into the side-netting in the 66th minute as Darlington looked to arrest their mini crisis, but it was Barnet who rocked their hosts in the 76th minute when Yakubu headed in a cross from substitute Neal Bishop to earn a point.

The equaliser came much to the annoyance of the home supporters, who had seen two-goal hero Hatch substituted just two minutes before Yakubu's leveller and they witnessed their side holding on for a point against a side who had failed to win in their last 12 games.