The Bees were well beaten at Watford's London Colney Training Ground today but the scoreline read harshly on Barnet's performance.

A hat-trick from French winger Johan Cavalli and a goal from Steve Kabba gave a strong Hornets side the victory.

However in the first half, Barnet could quite easily have been leading, but just lacked the killer touch in front of goal.

Anthony Thomas rounded keeper Richard Lee having pounced on a poor backpass, but his shot cannoned wide off the post.

Adam Birchall saw a shot go just over and Jason Puncheon was not far off with two back to back long-distance efforts midway through the half.

The Bees started brightly in the second half also, when sub Stephane Seanla, playing against his old club, tested the keeper straight after the restart.

Trialist Rory May had also just come on and saw a perfectly legitimate goal ruled out by the referee who had adjudged May to have fouled Lee.

Watford then took the game by the scruff of the neck and showed a clinical touch in front of goal.

Cavalli opened the scoring on 53 minutes, lobbing Rob Beckwith after a deep cross found its way through to him.

Two minutes later and Watford had doubled their advantage, with Steve Kabba rounding Beckwith and slotting home.

Watford were well on top at this stage, and Cavalli added a classy on 71 minutes, striking into the top corner on the half volley from the edge of the box.

Rory May hit the post soon after for the Bees and Michael Leary was somehow denied on the rebound also.

However Cavalli would have the final say, adding another excellent strike to complete his hat-trick. He watched a high ball onto his left foot and volleyed well into the corner.

Paul Fairclough commented, "For 35 minutes we were the better side by far, we created six good chances and restricted them.

"For the last ten we allowed them into the game and it became more scrappy and the half finished pretty evenly"

Fairclough continued, "We made changes in the second half as I was conscious of how many minutes the boys had played recently and it did unsettle the team.

"We've had a perfectly good goal disallowed, then they took us apart in a 20 minute spell and ran us ragged.

"Towards the end we gathered ourselves again and created more chances"

The Bees are in action on Saturday at Histon. If you are not going to the game, you can catch commentary live on Barnet World.

James Harrison