Barnet comprehensively saw off the challenge of Grimsby Town with the 3-0 scoreline being indicative of the superiority that the Bees enjoyed for most of the 90 minutes.
Manager Ian Hendon selected the same starting XI that took the field against Dagenham & Redbridge in midweek, the defence again being able to benefit from the quality and leadership that Gary Breen brings to the team in this only his second game of the season.
In front of a sizeable following and kicking with a swirling wind somewhat in their favour the Mariners started the match brightly, perhaps buoyed by the two late goals they themselves had managed in midweek. Their moment in the sun was not to last long however.
In the 11th minute Yannick Bolasie received an astute pass on the edge of the box from Mark Hughes and swiftly took the ball at the Grimsby defence. He was then upended by Paul Linwood as he was about to unleash a right footed shot; a definite penalty which John O'Flynn duly converted.
Five minutes later the Bees were two goals to the good. It was Bolasie again who was fouled, this time on the edge of the area. The resulting free kick rebounded to Albert Adomah whose shot took a deflection with the flight of the ball bemusing the Grimsby keeper.
Even at this early stage the game looked beyond the reach of the Mariners. Despite the educated left foot of Peter Sweeney, Barnet's central midfielders, skipper Micah Hyde and Hughes determined much of the flow of the game and dominated proceedings.
Bolasie was a constant danger on the left. He tormented the Grimsby defence who did not know if he would take the ball wide and deliver a cross or cut inside and shoot. In the 67th minute this indecision was to prove costly and allow Barnet to move into cruise control mode.
Bolasie was fed the ball out wide and he set off again with the aim of tormenting defenders. This time he cut inside and released a powerful drive that was rippling the net before the keeper could make any effort to keep the ball out.
Ex Bee Michael Leary came on as an early substitute and he was involved in a few meaty challenges and headed over the bar when reasonably well placed but this was a match that Barnet never looked in danger of achieving anything other than a victory.
Such was the chasm between the teams that the Bees were even able to introduce three substitutes that were designed to give players minutes of the pitch rather than for any tactical reasons.
In conclusion a convincing victory. Looking at the disparity in league positions this is a victory that was certainly on the cards, but these sort of games can often see points dropped if a side lacks application and focus. They was little or no evidence of that at Underhill today.
The Bees travel to the Valley to face Charlton Athletic in the JPT on Tuesday.
David Bloomfield.