Barnet head coach Martin Allen has made clear he is firmly set on winning the League Two title – and is working his players “harder than ever before” to make it happen.

After finishing 15th last year, the Bees have enjoyed a near-faultless preseason, beating Allen’s old club Gillingham on Saturday with goals from John Akinde and Alex Nicholls, following a 1-0 win over Championship Ipswich the previous week.

Allen said his players have been “worked harder than they have ever worked” on the training pitch as they look to get off to a bright start to the campaign, and Tuesday night’s 3-2 defeat to Eastleigh despite goals from Joe Payne and trialist Jean-Louis Akpa Apkro, was a rare blot on their copy book.

The head coach said the tough training schedule had been motivated by last season’s opening-day defeat to Leyton Orient, where they had held their own for most of the game before being downed by two late goals.

He said: “We train harder than we have ever trained and I think these players have been worked harder than they’ve ever worked.  “It’s mentally testing for the players, but I don’t think any fan will forget our brilliant first hour at Orient last season, but we faded after that; we mus be the strongest and fittest team throughout the season this year.

“It’s a test for all of us this season. We can’t sit back and say ‘well done, we’re doing ok’. We’ve got to go in with a mentality to use every game to win, to represent the club, the fans and our families.

“I want to make something special happen. I don’t want to be mid-table again. I’ve had two championships, and I want another one.”

Akinde celebrated signing a new three-year deal with a 54th-minute strike against the Gills at The Hive on Saturday, before Nicholls netted for the first time in Barnet colours after the hour mark.