Match report: Barnet 0, Port Vale 0
OUT-of-sorts Port Vale were lucky to escape with a point after a lacklustre show at struggling Barnet.
The table-topping Valiants were on the back foot for large parts of the game against a side at the opposite end of League Two.
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Port Vale's Tom Pope hit the post.
Keeper Chris Neal produced several fine saves to keep the scoreline blank, though the visitors could have gone home with three points had Tom Pope's second-half header gone in, rather than come back off the post.
Boss Micky Adams went with the same team for the fourth game in a row as Vale looked to build on back-to-back 3-0 victories.
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Player-coach Edgar Davids, the former Dutch international, named himself in midfield for the Bees.
Barnet, struggling at the wrong end of the table, nevertheless showed plenty of spirit early on and Andy Iro's eary header forced Darren Purse to head away under pressure from in front of keeper Chris Neal.
John Oster drilled a shot just wide from 20 yards after 12 minutes as Vale were pushed back, having failed to find early rhythm, and Jake Hyde was high and wide after a corner.
Jon Nurse tested Neal with a 20-yarder which the keeper held comfortably and, with Davids driving them forward, Barnet were looking the likelier side.
Vale took 32 minutes to mount their first attack of note and they almost made it pay. Tom Pope played in Jennison Myrie-Williams on the edge of the box and the winger burst forward only to drag his shot just wide of the far post.
Barnet were still the better side though and nearly took the lead when Andy Yiadom's shot from 18 yards was deflected towards goal from close range by Hyde, but a diving Neal did well to clutch the ball to his chest.
Neal was in the action again two minutes before the break. The keeper first did well to claw out a shot from the left of the box and was then on hand to divert Oster's follow-up away from his near post with a fine save.
The match followed a similar pattern at the start of the second half and Neal had to be at his best again on 51 minutes. A pass from midfield put Oster in the clear, but his shot from 15 yards was brilliantly turned over by the busy stopper.
Adams sent on midfielder Sam Morsy in place of striker Lee Hughes in a bid to stem the tide and the visitors at last began to edge themselves into the game, sending in a couple of tasty crosses that would have only needed a touch.
The Valiants went close to snatching the lead after 72 minutes. Pope's touch put Doug Loft in the clear and the midfielder's shot from 20 yards was well kept out by Barnet keeper Graham Stack. The ball was returned into the area and was headed over by substitute Calvin Andrew at close range.
They went even closer after 75 when Duffy's cross from the right was headed against the post by Pope with Stack well beaten, but a goal then would have been harsh on a Barnet side who deserved at least a point.
Barnet: Stack, Fuller, Stephens, Iro, Johnson, Nurse (Sekajja, 74), Oster, Byrne, Davids (Weston, 82), Yiadom, Hyde (Crawford, 85). Subs not used: Brown, Kamdjo, Lee, Cowler.
Port Vale: Neal, Duffy, Purse, Chilvers, Jones, Myrie-Williams, Burge (Shuker, 76), Loft, Vincent (Andrew, 66), Pope, Hughes (Morsy, 55). Subs not used: Johnson, Yates, Williamson, Birchall.
Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)
Attendance: 2,398
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