Well they say things come in threes, and for Tresor Kandol that was certainly the case on Saturday as he bagged a fine hat-trick as the Barnet defeated Rochdale 3-2 at Underhill.

The former Dagenham and Redbridge front man, who was recalled to the side at the expense of Paul Warhurst, secured the three points for Paul Fairclough's side in the 91st minute when he headed home a Andy Hessenthaler cross from the right.

It was an end-to-end game on a sunny afternoon in North London and the Bees started the game brightly with captain Ian Hendon, also returning to the team after injury, seeing an effort fizz just wide in the 3rd minute.

Five minutes later and a handball by Ismail Yakubu allowed Gary Brown to strike at goal, but the midfielders effort drifted wide of Lee Harrison's goal.

Barnet were continuing to look to pass the ball about, but a misplaced pass by Hendon in the 11th minute saw Darrell Clarke receive the ball on the Dale left before he squared the ball to Chris Dagnall who saw his powerful effort from 25 yards go just wide of Harrison's right hand post.

Two minutes later and it was Barnet who this time came close to opening the scoring when a low cross by Dean Sinclair found Kandol in the penalty area with the strikers back heel finding Nicky Bailey but his effort hit Jackson before hitting the Bees man once more and drifting harmlessly wide for a goal kick.

Harrison then did superbly well to tip a fierce Glenn Murray effort over the crossbar before Clarke saw an effort go wide when he reacted quickest to a Morike Sako flicked header.

Rochdale were getting closer and they were to take the lead in the 22nd minute after some hesitant Bees defending.  Alan Goodall crossed from the left, and with the ball hanging in the air, Dagnall reacted quickest at the back post to head the ball back across goal where Clarke forced the ball into the back of the net from three yards out.

Barnet looked for a quick response when Barry Cogan met a Hendon cross but the right wingers effort lacked direction and went wide and then in the 26th minute a fine run on the left by Jason Puncheon saw him pull the ball back to Bailey who saw his fine effort superbly blocked by James Sharpe.

Dagnall then shot wide for Rochdale at the other end before Puncheon saw his powerful effort, following a fine Cogan pass, pushed away by Matt Gilks in the Dale goal.

Barnet were to fine themselves level, though, five minutes before half time and this time Gilks could do nothing about it.  Bailey won the ball in the midfield before driving forward and sending a superb ball through to Kandol who took one touch before firing home from 15 yards past the helpless Gilks.

A minute before the interval and the Bees nearly found themselves ahead when Puncheon found Cogan who saw his effort miss Gilks' right hand post by a matter of inches and there was still time for Simon King to head wide following a Bailey free kick.

The second period continued in much the same way as the first with both sides intent on going out to win the game. It was the Bees, though, who came out of the traps the fastest and they took the lead in the 49th minute through that man Kandol once more when he headed home following a long Harrison goal kick, and with Gilks rushing out off of his line, the Bees striker directed the ball into an empty net.

Barnet then went close to making it three when Bailey's fine cross found Sinclair at the far post who saw his effort blocked and this missed chance was to prove costly as Rochdale went straight down the other end to make it 2-2.

Goodall again crossed from the left where this time Murray directed his 59th minute header past the despairing dive of Harrison into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Both sides continued to attack with Puncheon seeing his 64th minute cross, come shot, blocked by Gilks before Murray drove wide a minute later for Dale from fully 25 yards.

Kandol then had a great chance to get his hat-trick in the 74th minute but he headed wide following a Sinclair cross from the right before Gary Jones saw his effort from 25 yards well held by Harrison at the other end.

In the final ten minutes both teams continued to push forward with Sinclair going close for Barnet and Murray for the away side but it was Kandol who was to have the final say when his header from six yards in the 91st minute sealed the three points for a delighted Paul Fairclough and his Bees side.

Attendance: 1972
Away: 259