Not quite a rout, but a thoroughly deserved three points for the Bees. A blistering second half performance, to which Stockport County had little or no answer was the just reward for a hard working Barnet outfit whose quality of play in all areas of the pitch was acknowledged by the travelling fans at the final whistle.

Barnet showed their attacking intentions from the very first when Jason Norville turned and shot over the bar and Jason Puncheon, shortly after, cut in from the left, even if his right footed effort nearly went for a throw in.

On 14 minutes an astute pass from Ashley Carew allowed Jason Puncheon to advance and his centre was turned in by the alert Adam Birchall to put the Bees in the lead.

The Bees had to rearrange their rearguard when Ismail Yakubu was substituted following a groin injury; Joe O'Cearuill deputised.

Barnet had the lead for just ten minutes. The Stockport winger - on loan from Bolton Wanderers - Leslie Thompson, got the better of Nicky Nicolau and once in the penalty he fell to the ground following a challenge from the Bees left back. Anthony Elding duly converted the spot kick.

If the Hatters were going to turn the game in their favour this was their moment. At the back their skipper Ashley Williams was a commanding figure and their two strikers, Elding and Matty McNeil looked as if they could combine well.

Sagi Burton who took the armband from Yakubu was a rock at the heart of the Bees defence and with O'Cearuill alongside him they had the answer to most of the questions that the home sides attackers could set.

In the second minute of the second half Barnet regained the lead. Wing wizardry from Puncheon from the left resulted in a powerful cross and in the melee that followed Birchall again was on hand to poach a goal.

Barnet stretched their lead soon after. A Puncheon - Nicolau combination on the left lead to Josh Wright crashing the ball into the roof of the net and the Bees were almost in cruise control.

Six minutes from time the victory was all but assured when Carew hit a crisp shot from outside the box which again saw the net ripple.

Liam Dickinson managed to scramble the ball over the line for a second goal for Stockport in the dying moments, but by then, as a contest, the game was over.

The teams around Barnet also turned in victories, so to stay with the leading pact, is was vital that the Bees, in turn, returned south with three points. This task duly accomplished Mansfield Town are the next league opponents, next Saturday at Underhill. Reports suggests that their lowly league position disguises a team playing well without enjoying the rub of the green and Barnet will certainly need to be fully focussed if their current good run is to continue.

Attendance: 4,751 (132)

David Bloomfield