New Barnet boss Darren Currie was disappointed at the outcome, but felt Barnet have taken the “next step in the right direction” in terms of performance after their 1-1 draw with Boreham Wood on New Year’s Day.

Having won 1-0 at Dagenham & Redbridge in his first game in charge following John Still’s retirement from management, Currie was on course to make it back-to-back victories when Ephron Mason-Clark fired a superb effort high into the net in the 68th minute.

However, the home side were to be pegged back five minutes from the end of normal time when Bradley Ash sent Mark Cousins the wrong way from the penalty spot after substitute Simeon Akinola had been adjudged to have committed a foul.

“I thought we were the better team,” Currie told the Barnet website. “There were maybe one or two spells where they had a couple of passages of play, but over the 90 minutes we were the better team, I don’t think anyone would dispute that.

“We’re obviously disappointed. I’m happy that I’ve got a disappointed group of players in there because they feel like they’ve dropped two points.

"But in terms of our performance level, what I asked from them to take that next little step after our win at Dagenham on Saturday, I believe that performance was the next step in the right direction. So much confidence on the ball, which I want to see, real belief, some good attacking play, loads of opportunities, a little bit frustrated that we didn’t convert more of our chances but in terms of the performance that was the next step in the right direction.”

However, the draw meant Wood came out on top in the festive derby double header between the two clubs, having won 1-0 at Meadow Park on Boxing Day, leaving boss Luke Garrard broadly satisfied.

He told the club website: “I felt the reaction, the courage to come from a goal down, especially against a team that have won against Dagenham on the road, have got a new lease of life in a new manager in Darren Currie, I felt we took the ascendency as soon as we got the goal."

He continued: “It was a proper derby game. There was a penalty in our favour, it should have a penalty for them in regards to Tom Champ’s (Champion’s) hands. You see a worldie from Mason-Clark and I see two sets of committed sides that want to go and win a game of football.

“Yes, happy. Four points from your local rivals in the first two games you play against them in competitive football is very pleasing. It’s just frustrating in the manner in which we didn’t pick up any points in regards to the game (Saturday’s 1-0 defeat) against Maidstone.”