David Stephens has urged him team-mates to keep going after their last gasp defeat to Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

The game looked set to finish 1-1 but a last gasp header from Angelo Balanta gave the home side all three points.

Stephens tweeted post-match: “Horrible to lose the game in the last minute. Keep going though. Thanks to all the fans who made the long journey.”

Barnet nearly went into meltdown when their keeper, Graham Stack, was declared unfit Monday morning forcing Allen to make a loan move for West Ham shot-stopper Raphael Spiegel.

In comical fashion the side could only meet up with the new signing on the motorway on the way to the game.

Looking on: David Stephens

Allen explained:"Stack injured his back over the weekend. He was unfit at half past eight yesterday morning when he came into the training ground.

"So yesterday morning at half past eight I had to try and find a goalkeeper. We got Mr Spiegel - I think that’s how you say his name - I call him Rafa, from West Ham yesterday morning and we met him on the bus on the motorway this afternoon.”

Barnet started the game slowly and found themselves behind on the five minute mark thanks to a Matty Taylor goal.

The Bees drew level just before the stroke of half time thanks to a spectacular free-kick from Luisma Villa who left the Rovers Keeper helpless.

It was a second half that could have gone either way and with just seconds left on the clock Balanta’s header was judged to have crossed the line despite desperate attempts to clear the ball.

Mad Dog: Barnet manager Martin Allen

After the game Martin Allen praised his side for their recovery.

He said: “I was disappointed with the first half performance. I don’t think we really did ourselves any justice. But to be fair to us, we defended valiantly and put our bodies on the line, which our players always do. I thought we weathered the storm.

“In the second half that is how we normally play by trying to move the ball around the pitch. We played some great football during the second half and took the sting out of the opposition and the support.”