Senda injury mars JPT stalemate

Mark Hughes scored a second-half equaliser as Barnet secured a 1-1 draw with Swindon in the JPT Southern Area final first leg at Underhill.

But the goal was overshadowed by a serious injury to Barnet defender Danny Senda, the 30-year-old stretchered off with a suspected broken leg late in the first half before Aden Flint opened the scoring for Swindon. Hughes levelled things up in the second half with a nodded header to set up a tantalising second leg at the County Ground on February 7. Barnet had the better of the early exchanges but Sam Deering wasted their best chance as he lashed over from 10 yards. After Senda had gone off five minutes before the break, Swindon grabbed the opener, Flint powering in a header at the back post from a Paul Caddis cross. The Robins threatened to put the tie out of reach early in the second half but were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal. Skipper Hughes found some space in the box and nodded in a free-kick from Mark Marshall 18 minutes from time.