An Ian Hendon penalty nine minutes from time rewarded ten man Barnet with a share of the points at Bury on Saturday.
The Bees made six changes from the side that lost to Leeds United in the Carling Cup on Tuesday. There was a recall in goal for Lee Harrison, skipper Ian Hendon returned at right back and Adam Gross at left back, with Simon King partnering Ismail Yakubu at centre back.There was also a start for Andy Hessenthaler in midfield at the expense of Richard Graham whilst front pairing Tresor Kandol and Magno Vieira were chosen ahead of Giuliano Grazioli and Liam Hatch, who both dropped down to the bench.
There was a late change to the Bees starting line-up with Paul Warhurst due to start but the former Blackburn man was taken unwell on Friday evening and was replaced in the starting line-up.
The Bees started brightly and had an early chance to take the lead when Hessenthaler found Nicky Bailey in space but his 25 yard strike with his left foot when wide of keeper Kasper Schmeichel's left hand post.
Both sides were looking to play football but it was again the Bees who had another great chance to score in the 11th minute when a Kandol flick on found Vieira, and with must the keeper to beat, the striker could only direct his left footed effort over the crossbar.
Just a minute later the home side came close to breaking the deadlock when a Marc Pugh cross from the left found Dwayne Mattis but his effort went inches wide of Harrison's post.
The home fans did not have much longer to wait, though, before their side were to take the lead after 15 minutes when Shakers debutant Glynn Hurst got the better of Ismail Yakubu in the penalty area, before turning the Bees centre back and sending his right footed effort past a helpless Harrison.
A minute later and the home side nearly got their second when Pugh sent an effort the wrong side of a post after a fine run down the Bees right.
The Bees were not behind for long when Tresor Kandol, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box, sent his 21st minute header past Schmeichel following a fine deep cross by Gross on the Bees left.
Barnet, not content to sit back, then had a chance to take the lead on the half hour mark when Puncheon's 25 yard strike was tipped over the crossbar by Schmeichel with the resulting set piece well defended by the Shakers backline.
The same player then saw a similar effort go wide just a minute later before Sinclair tried his luck, again the effort going wide of a post.
Barnet were looking the more likely to take the lead and Yakubu had a chance to atone for his earlier error but he could only direct his header, from Bailey's in-swinging free kick, over the crossbar.
The Bees were continuing to play with greater fluency and Bailey tested Schmeichel with a low drive a minute before half time that the Shakers keeper did well to hold.
Barnet began the second half at a frantic pace and had a good chance to take the lead three minutes in when Yakubu, following a Bailey cross, saw his effort, when at full stretch, go over the crossbar.
Hurst then headed wide for Bury following a Tom Kennedy free kick a minute later before an incident off the ball saw Jason Puncheon sent off following a clash with Paul Scott.
The decision appeared to lift the home side and Scott had a chance to give the Shakers the lead from a Kennedy corner but could only direct his header over the crossbar.
Bailey nearly then scored an own goal when his header, from a Kennedy corner, went just wide of a post in the 67th minute before Harrison was called upon a minute later to tip a Bishop header over the crossbar.
The ten man Bees were soon to go behind, however, when a cross in from the right by Shakers substitute Nicky Adams found Hurst unmarked in the box and he finished smartly from eight yards out to give Bury a 2-1 lead in the 74th minute.
Hurst then had a chance to score his hat-trick two minutes later when he rounded Harrison but from an acute angle, the man on loan from Shrewsbury could only direct his effort wide.
The Bees, continuing to push forward at every opportunity, were then awarded a penalty when Yakubu challenged Schmeichel at a cross and the big goalkeeper appeared to punch the Bees defender and the referee pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Bees captain Hendon who sent the Bury keeper the wrong way to send the Bees level with ten minutes to go.Kandol was then replaced by Hatch whilst Anthony Charles replaced Yakubu at centre back.
Scott then headed over for Bury two minutes from time before Fitzgerald sent a drive wide of Harrison's post three minutes into time added on in the final action of the game as both sides left Gigg Lane with a point apiece.
Attendance: 1901
By Jonathan Sugar
