Barnet conceded a goal in each half on a very sandy pitch as an inform Notts County finally ran out deserved winners at Meadow Lane. Up until the Magpies scored their first on the stroke of half time there was little if anything to choose between the teams, but a second, an exquisite free kick from Jamie Clapham put the game beyond Barnet's reach.

Ian Hendon selected the same starting eleven and the same substitutes as in the midweek game against Grimsby Town, the exception being Lee Harrison starting the match with Ran Kadoch on the bench.

Clapham saw a good effort go wide in the fifth minute after a well worked set piece and Barnet in turn responded when Matt Lockwood delivered a good free kick from the right into the danger area, but to no avail.

The Bees were enjoying a reasonable amount of possession, Mark Hughes was influential in midfield and Albert Adomah went close with a drive from a free kick.

In the 43rd minute hesitation in the defence and a failure to clear the danger saw the ball fall to County's Matt Hamshaw who steadied himself before lobbing all and sundry from some 20 yards. It was a well executed finish, but he had been presented with the opportunity.

Early in the second half Yannick Bolasie did well to get into a position to head goalwards an Adomah cross, but his effort did not trouble the County keeper as the ball flashed wide.

Sixteen minutes into the half Max Porter committed a foul on the edge of his penalty area and Clapham, despite Gary Breen positioning himself underneath the far post, was able to flight his free kick into the top corner.

Barnet almost reduced the deficit when Josh Lillis fumbled a Hughes shot and later when Joe Devera headed over a Matt Lockwood corner, but with a two goal lead County were most certainly in pole position and the Bees did not subsequently look like forcing their way back into the game.

Against Grimsby Barnet genuinely looked as if they had the ability to score goals, if not at will, then certainly in some abundance, sadly this characteristic was missing at Meadow Lane.

In mitigation fast flowing football was a near impossibility on a pitch that had been waterlogged the day before; man mountains of sand had been used to produce a dry surface, but it was a lifeless desert.

The Bees are at home to the Bantams from the city of Bradford next Saturday.

David Bloomfield.