John Akinde equalled Gary Bull’s record as Barnet’s top-scorer in a single Conference season by scoring his 30th league goal to return the Bees to the summit with a 1-0 win over Nuneaton Town.

The powerful frontman has 32 in all competitions, the same number Bull managed as Barnet won the Conference for the first time in the 1990/91 season.

Back to the present day and Akinde’s goal means Martin Allen’s side are back at the summit once more, a point clear of Bristol Rovers and three ahead of Grimsby Town with four games to play – starting with Monday’s trip to Dartford.

There were two changes for Barnet with Charlie MacDonald and Luisma Villa coming back into the starting XI in place of Sam Muggleton and Conor Clifford, as the Bees reverted to a 4-4-2 system.

Neither side offered much in a low-quality first-half with Barnet arguably nervous knowing they would need to win in order to re-claim top spot. For Nuneaton, time is running out to avoid escaping the division at the other end.

The returning MacDonald had the best chances for the home side, the first coming after 19 minutes when he met a low cut-back but saw his first-time effort blocked. Sam Togwell lashed against the roof of the North Stand from the rebound.

Both sides had been playing direct football, with little success at best, though a Graham Stack clearance was flicked on by Akinde into the path of MacDonald but back to goal, the skipper could only send a tame overhead kick into Max Crocombe’s gloves.

MacDonald came closer still when Mauro Vilhete slid him in down the left-hand side of the Nuneaton defence. The Bees number ten strode into the penalty area before side-footing against the inside of the post when he looked odds-on to break the deadlock.

Liam Daish’s side had offered next to nothing offensively but almost upset the odds when Jaanai Gordon’s knock down fell at the feet of Andy Brown to lash just wide with a first-time effort from 20 yards.

Just before half-time MacDonald’s afternoon looked set for a premature end when he collapsed to the turf with what looked like a knee injury but after receiving treatment he returned to finish the half.

The first presentable chance of the half fell the way of Barnet and unsurprisingly it came about following a long ball forward. Akinde beat goalkeeper Crocombe in the aerial duel and Michael Gash, just on as a substitute in place of MacDonald, sent an overhead kick wide.

Another replacement, Luke Gambin, sat up a teasing cross soon after which Akinde looped back over Crocombe only for Theo Streete to nod off the line for the visitors.

With 20 minutes to go the resolute Nuneaton defence was finally breached.

A perfectly-weighted cross onto the chest of Akinde was expertly controlled by the big number nine who waited for the ball to drop before crashing a superb volley beyond Crocombe.

At virtually the same time, news filtered through of a second for Kevin St-Luce to put Gateshead 2-1 up at third-placed Grimsby.

Barnet had looked noticeably brighter since the introduction of Gash and Gambin but still struggled to carve out any clear-cut chances.

Akinde might have taken out an insurance policy for the Bees late on when he burst through the Nuneaton backline but Josh Rees cleverly – and cynically – hauled the forward down before he could advance too far, earning a booking for his troubles.

There was still time for a late twist but thankfully it came at Blundell Park where Grimsby Town equalised against Gateshead injury time to earn a point with a 2-2 draw.

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, N'Gala, Stephens, Johnson; Vilhete, Weston, Togwell, Luisma (Gambin 63); Akinde (Saville 90), MacDonald (Gash 59).

Subs: Muggleton, Clifford.

Nuneaton Town: Crocombe; Wheeler (Ogleby 88), Streete, Dean, Franklin; Armson (Walker 67), Rees, Dawson, Ant. Brown; Gordon (Sodje 59), And. Brown.

Subs: Cowan, Smith.

Referee: Adam Bromley.

Attendance: 2,006 (96 away supporters).