Barnet’s dominance in the second half should have brought greater reward for the Nationwide Conference side and but for the heroics of Keen would now been facing a trip to Tranmere Rovers in the second round.

More worrying for Carlisle manager Roddy Collins is his side’s alarming dip in recent form. With high flying Shrewsbury the next visitors to Brunton Park on Tuesday night followed by a trip to top of the table Plymouth next Saturday Collins is under no illusions where his priorities lie.

Collins said after the game: “It’s great to still be in the Cup but we need three players and we need them quick. We need to add to the squad. We’ve no options on the bench and if someone gets injured we are struggling. It’s plain to be seen where I need players and we will have to get them in if the club is to step up to another level and that’s something I will be giving every ounce of my energy to do. Tuesday night is the most important game of the season to date because the position we’re in at the bottom of the table we don’t want to be dropping off. But I am hopeful that I will have at least two new players for Tuesday night but I will need to have them signed by 12 o’clock Monday. When I get these three players in I think we will be alright.”

In a poor opening period Barnet held the upper hand with Lee Flynn and Ben Strevens both going close.

The first real threat on goal came with 23 minutes gone and Peter Keen gave an indication of what was to come when he saved well from Strevens after Leon Bell had put him clear.

Carlisle’s best spell of the match came in the last fifteen minutes of the first half with Dave Morley first unleashing a thirty yard effort which flew narrowly wide.

Barnet keeper Lee Harrison then saved well from Richie Foran and Peter Murphy wasted a good opening on the edge of the box by shooting over the bar before Brendan McGill had a goalbound effort deflected for a corner.

Immediately after the break the Cumbrians had a let off when Mark Winstanley cleared a Lee Gledhill shot off the line. Rob Sawyers then rifled a shot just wide of the post.

As Barnet’s dominance built almost unabated Dave Rogers had to be alert to turn Wayne Purser’s shot for a corner.

Ironically the Cumbrians then had the clearest chance of the match but Richie Foran failed to hit the target with a free header from substitute Michael Jack’s tantalising cross.

Peter Keen then started his man of the match performance making saves in quick succession from Gower and Purser before saving from a Heald header.

The save of the game came on 74 minutes when the irrepressible Keen somehow managed to turn a Strevens header onto the bar from point blank range.

As time slowly ran out for Barnet Winstanley again made a goal line clearance but this time from the head of his fellow defender Dave Rogers.

As befits a man of the match performance Keen had the last say, saving a Strevens shot on the turn.

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