Port Vale: Owen heroics help mask Vale's failings
Owen shrugged off a double fracture of his cheekbone, plus another in his nose, to inspire his side to an eighth clean sheet of the season.
His return to action came just 11 days after picking up the injury during Vale's Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at Bradford City.
The clear, plastic mask Owen was forced to wear – it was customised with his squad number and a Port Vale badge – was more Phantom of the Opera than Caped Crusader.
But his heroic efforts symbolised a new-found spirit and stubbornness against a dangerous Barnet outfit laced with power and pace.
The only accessory Owen was lacking during his eye-opening display was a pair of windscreen wipers as the rain lashed down in North London.
The 27-year-old, who had been expected to be ruled out for up to four weeks, said: "I was quite pleased with the way I played as I won plenty of headers and tackles.
"The mask took a bit of getting used to because it opens up your eyes, so I was constantly blinking because of the rain.
"But as soon as I got used to that it was fine and I don't think it affected my performance at all.
"I had a couple of whacks on it from a few stray elbows, but I never felt a thing, so it did its job.
"I'll have to wear it for the next couple of games, but if that's what it takes to allow me to play then it's something I'll do."
Saturday's draw could turn out to be crucial in the final analysis of the season as this was a case of one point gained, rather than two dropped.
But while Vale still lie just six points off the League Two play-off zone in 13th place, their hopes of getting into the top seven will surely hinge on them adding goals to their undoubted defensive capabilities.
With Thursday's loan deadline fast approaching, boss Micky Adams will get his final chance to boost his team's firepower before January in the wake of a ninth draw in 17 league clashes.
Nine-goal Marc Richards, who has not found the net in his last six outings, was starved of service, while Vale struggled to contain the more direct approach of their hosts.
Adams admitted: "We didn't create too much and I don't remember their keeper having much to do.
"Saying that, I don't remember my keeper having much to do, although I remember the ball flashing across our goal. So a point was perhaps all we deserved from the game."
Adams's comment concerning the "small role" his own keeper played was a little harsh on stopper Chris Martin, who produced a handful of fine saves to keep his goal intact.
Vale's chief tormentors were wingers Yannick Bolasie and Albert Jarrett, who provided enough bullets, especially for striker John O'Flynn, to fire the Bees to victory.
However, Barnet could only muster a trio of long-range efforts in the opening stages, from O'Flynn, Jarrett and Bolasie, which failed to test Martin.
Vale forward Louis Dodds and O'Flynn traded tame efforts before John McCombe had to leave the pitch to undergo treatment to a nasty cut under his eye that later required five stitches.
Barnet should have taken the lead on 20 minutes when a set-piece was cleared to Jarrett deep on the right.
The midfielder returned the ball into the box with a dipping cross which found defender Ismail Yakubu, but his close-range header clipped the top of the bar.
O'Flynn connected with Bolasie's 28th-minute corner, only to watch a battle-scarred McCombe, standing a few yards off Vale's goal-line, clear his 12-yard drive with a header.
The game was littered with strong tackles and Doug Loft's sliding challenge on Barnet full-back Kenny Gillet sparked a brief confrontation between Bees boss Ian Hendon and Vale's substitute keeper Joe Anyon in the technical area.
Back on the pitch, Martin comfortably kept out an angled effort from midfielder Mark Hughes before the break.
The 19-year-old followed that up with a superior save by clawing away O'Flynn's 12-yard effort from the left channel with the ball heading for the far right-hand corner of his net.
O'Flynn was unable to convert Jarrett's left-flank cross from an acute angle at the far post at the start of the second period.
And, as the second half wore on, Vale slowly blunted Barnet's creative edge and then almost broke the deadlock in spectacular style on 55 minutes.
Fraser's corner found its way to the edge of the Barnet box, from where wing-back Kris Taylor unleashed a kung fu-style volley that whistled past the left-hand post.
A tiring Vale were boosted on the hour mark when Adams threw on striker Lewis Haldane and midfielder Jason Jarrett for Rob Taylor and Loft respectively.
Barnet's Micah Hyde responded when his shot from distance missed the target by a matter of inches.
Martin then produced a last-gasp save to deny O'Flynn's eight-yard strike following Gillet's charge down the right.
O'Flynn squandered another chance near the end, before Fraser saw red in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time, for an unnecessary challenge committed right under the nose of Adams.
With Ahmed Deen going nowhere near the touchline, he was taken out by Fraser's dangerously-high, two-footed challenge.
Adams added: "There were a few tackles flying in and a few silly ones to be fair.
"I don't want to defend Tommy Fraser in particular, because what he did was nonsense.
"He didn't have to go for the ball with 15 seconds left in the game.
"But he gets himself sent off, gets a three-match ban and allows them to put the ball into our box when the game's over and done with."
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