Martin Allen has revealed Lee Cook was dropped rather than injured for Barnet's win over FC Halifax Town on Saturday after not being named in the matchday 16.

The 32-year-old winger had missed the win against Nuneaton Town seven days earlier with an injury but was restored to the Bees' line-up for the Bank Holiday Monday win at Dartford, struggling in a right-wing capacity.

Asked after the game why the former Queens Park Rangers and Fulham wideman had been left out, Allen confirmed injury had not been the cause of his absence.

He said: "Lee Cook is OK. I had a really difficult decision to make. He is not injured. I decided yesterday (Friday) afternoon on the subs for today’s (Saturday's) game and it meant that Lee Cook was going to miss out on the subs.

"It was a very difficult decision for me to make and difficult for him too."

He continued: "He was upset and I think that is understandable. I would prefer him to be upset rather than happy about not playing but Lee Cook will certainly have a role to play between now and the end of the season but today I could not get him onto the bench."

However, Allen would not divulge why he had picked other players over Cook for inclusion on the substitute's bench.

He simply stated when asked: "I’m not going to go into that."