“We should have killed the game off” – Craig Slater after Colchester United’s draw at Barnet.

Tarique Fosu scores at Barnet during the first half (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

Craig Slater felt that Colchester United dropped two points, rather than gained one, during this afternoon’s 1-1 draw at Barnet.

Midfielder Slater was given a rare start, due to Tom Lapslie’s absence with an ankle injury.

And the Scotsman impressed for the U’s.

“I’m disappointed with the late equaliser rather than being happy with the point,” insisted Slater.

“The first 35 minutes we played some really good stuff.

“Maybe we should have killed the game off, especially if we had got another one,” added Slater.

Tarique Fosu scored his first goal for the U’s, but it was only enough for a point at Barnet.

Reading loanee Fosu broke the deadlock with a lethal finish in the fifth minute, on the U’s first-ever visit to The Hive.

The classy winger was teed up by Drey Wright, unleashing a low, angled drive from 15 yards out which flew past keeper Josh Vickers.

The U’s protected their lead for the next 77 minutes, surviving a few scares, but the Bees finally grabbed a deserved equaliser, in scrappy fashion.

John McGreal’s men failed to clear a cross and, following some pinball in the area, midfielder Curtis Weston swept home the equaliser from close-in.

Squads

BARNET: Vickers, Vilhete, N’Gala, Nelson, Johnson, Nicholls (sub Campbell-Ryce, 32), Weston, Togwell (sub Watson, 69), Gambin, Batt (sub Akp-Akpro, 60), Akinde. Unused subs: Stephens, Dembele, Sesay, Taylor.

COLCHESTER: Walker, Brindley, Prosser, Eastman, Dickenson, Slater, Guthrie, Wright (sub Kinsella, 69), Szmodics (sub Kamara, 34), Fosu (sub Vincent-Young, 82), Porter. Unused subs: Bransgrove, Wynter, Akinwande, Johnstone.

Referee: Brett Huxtable (Devon)

Attendance: 2,158 (674 away fans)