United stretched their unbeaten run to six matches this afternoon as they battled to a 0-0 draw at Barnet.In their first ever league game at Underhill The U's perhaps shaded a keenly contested match but could not find an end product.

It was an unfamiliar looking U's side. Barnet changed their kit to an all black affair two days before the season started, rather than the orange with black pinstripe shirts that they had notified the league about. When United then arrived with their black away shirts they were left with no alternative other than to wear the original orange shirts, borrowed from the home side!

The kit change was rubbed in by the PA playing AC/DC's 'Back in Black' before kick off, but it was the orangemen who were marching forward in the opening stages, making the most of their extra man up front in a 4-3-3 line up against Barnet's 4-4-2.

It took fifteen minutes before a chance of note, with Sabin looping a header just over from a Bradbury cross. The French striker was also involved on 20 minutes as he sprinted clear in the right hand channel and cut the ball back for Davies, whose shot from the edge of the box was blocked bravely/rashly by former United man Simon King (who had a fine game at the back).

The home side were playing some nice football themselves and might have done better with their first clear chance on 21 minutes, only for Grazioli to completely miss his kick as he ran clear and had only Turley to beat.

There was then an almighty scramble at the other end as a corner wasn't cleared. Roget had three efforts, Sabin had another and finally Chris Willmott saw his shot hacked to safety by a relieved Bees defence. Davies then rifled in a 25 yard shot on23 minutes which keeper Flitney did well to parry and it was the U's who were looking the more likely team to score.

Barnet do try and play football, but perhaps were guilty of doing it too much in their own final third, often being caught out by the three alert United strikers. Indeed, with Davies, Sabin and Basham switching positions and sharing the work there was plenty to keep the excellent away fans interested.

The best chance of the opening half came on 38 minutes when Jon Ashton's header forward found Davies on the right. His low cross travelled all the way across the six yard box but when Basham tried to finish he found King throwing himself at the ball and making another fine block.

There was another great chance moments after theinterval as a flick on by Steve Basham freed Lee Bradbury, who tried to lift the ball over the advancing keeper. Flitney managed to save, but Sabin was unlucky to see his backheel from the block cleared as Basham looked to convert the chance.

The lively Sabin then ended a fine run down the left flank with a cross too close to the keeper on 50 minutes as United continued to dominate. The few half chances that the home side could create were frequently snuffed out by orange shirted players throwing themselves in the way of the ball, and at the other end Davies might have scored on 66 minutes as he raced on to a brave header from Barry Quinn but once again saw his shot blocked.

The closest either side came was on 78 minutes as another good run from Sabin saw the Frenchman turn his man and cut across the edge of the penalty area but drag his shot inches wide of the left hand post.

Defensively United were rock solid once again, with an overhead kick from Grazioli on 79 dropping just over the only chance of note, although the home side did press for a winner in the last ten minutes.

This was another professional performance from Brian Talbot's men, with skipper Chris Willmott perhaps the pick of the defenders and Lee Mansell once again catching the eye with a non stop match in midfield.

Report Chris Williams, pictures Darrell Fisher. Apologies for the delay in posting: no internet connection available at Barnet so we've just nearly killed ourselves racing back to bring you this!