In an eventful match Bromley were held to a draw by a spirited Barnet side.

Although, Neil Smith’s side would have been confident of claiming all three points before the game, and even more so when taking an early lead, circumstances meant that the point that they claimed was a decent return for a hard working performance.

Smith named an unchanged starting eleven to the team that claimed three hard earned points at Eastleigh seven days earlier. For the Bees, it was their first game since the departure of manager Tim Flowers and England C manger Paul Fairclough took temporary charge.

Wanting to impress their new manager, the visitors started brightly and Mark Cousins had to get down sharply to push Ephron Mason-Clark’s shot round the post.

Scott Loach then made a great close range save from Michael Cheek before Bromley went ahead. Cheek was sent clear and Loach again did well, saving with his leg. He also saved the follow up but it came back out to Cheek who pulled it back for Liam Trotter to smash home.

However, Barnet fought back and scored within two minutes. Courtney Baker-Richardson beat the offside trap and broke clear. Joe Kizzi raced back and looked to have timed his tackle well but the referee deemed otherwise and awarded a penalty before showing Kizzi a very harsh red card. Baker-Richardson waited patiently before firing home from the spot.

Cheek had a chance to restore Bromley’s lead but fired over after Loach had pushed out Luke Coulson’s cross. That proved to be the last of the action for the Barnet keeper as when he landed he dislocated his elbow. Fortunately for Barnet, they had a goalkeeper on the bench and Aymen Azaze came on to take over duties between the posts.

Baker-Richardson shot wide for Barnet before they created another chance following a good move but Lee Vaughan thrashed well over. Vaughan then crossed, aiming for Baker-Richardson but Byron Webster made a crucial interception to head over his own bar.

Liam Daly was cautioned for using offensive language before he had an escape when he appeared to have brought Jack Bridge down in the area but the referee waved play-on. This upset Smith to such an extent that something he said upset the referee sufficiently for him to show the Ravens manager the red card and send him down the tunnel.

Another Bromley penalty claim was turned down when Courtney Duffus was flattened with a two handed push causing Cheek to say something that the official didn’t like and he was shown a yellow card. There was still time for Frankie Raymond to fire in a drive that Azaze turned over for a corner before everyone was given a chance for a breather when the referee blew the whistle for half time.

If people thought that the second half might be a quieter affair, they were to be proved wrong. Cheek spotted Azaze off his line but his audacious effort from forty-five yards flew wide before ten men Bromley regained the lead. Raymond’s deep free kick found Jack Holland and his header hit the arm of Daly and finally, they were awarded a penalty. Cheek stepped up and fired home to extend his lead at the top of the league scoring chart.

Once again, Barnet came back quickly to level. Mason-Clark crossed from the right and Michael Petrasso met it with a first time volley that gave Cousins no chance.

Substitute Ben Williamson then might have put Bromley back ahead when Cheek and Azaze clattered into each other when going for a cross but Williamson’s first time hook went just wide.

Jerome Binnom-Williams hit a great strike just over before Barnet were reduced to ten. Again, dissent was the reason. He was shown a yellow card but was petulant in refusing the referee’s instruction to approach him and was given a second yellow and a red.

Each team had one last chance, Raymond shooting wide of the near post and Petrasso having a shot pushed wide by Cousins, although a goal kick was awarded.

The Ravens visit Yeovil Town on Tuesday evening before returning back to Hayes Lane on Saturday when hosting Solihull Moors.

Bromley: Cousins, Kizzi, Raymond, Mahoney, Holland, Webster, Coulson, Trotter, Cheek (Wakefield 69), Duffus (Williamson 55), Bridge (Alabi 89). Subs not used: Roberts, Purrington.