Barnet manager John Still has admitted his side remain something of a work in progress, as they continued their preparations for the new National League season with a 1-0 victory over Fulham Under-23s at The Hive.

An own goal, stemming from an innocuous Rob Atkinson back-pass that was missed by Fulham goalkeeper Tony Stahl, was enough for the Bees to claim victory on Saturday.

The catalyst though, for the Fulham error came from the manner in which Shaquille Coulthirst and Ephron Mason-Clark pressed – something the club have clearly been practicing on the training ground.

But with one eye already on their league opener on August 4 at Aldershot Town, the Barnet manager is keen to urge patience as his new-look side get up to speed with the demands that will be placed on them during a gruelling Saturday-Tuesday league campaign.

The 68-year-old has also refused to rule out adding to his squad and hinted that a deal for a new attacking player may not be far from completion.

Speaking to the Barnet website, Still said: “We’ve got a long way to go, three weeks or so, and it’s now a case of upping our sharpness.

“I don’t expect us to be particularly sharp, but it’s a case of upping our understanding. We’re gradually finding out our squad as well, but it’s important really to be ready for 46 games.

“That’s what we’re all trying to do. It’s about being ready to play enough so it helps you to be successful. That’s what we’re looking for.

“We’ll be working a lot harder now on final third play and I think there’s still an opportunity for another attacking player to come in as well, which we’re looking closely at.”

As his current crop of players continue to familiarise themselves with each other, the Bees boss appeared in confident mood as they gear up for their latest assignment against Ipswich Town on Saturday.

He was, however, keen to stress that years of experience have told him that pre-season means precious little in the grand scheme of things.

“I’ve had shocking pre-seasons before and I’ve thought we’re a mile away and we’ve won the league, and then the other way, you start off on fire and you can’t win a game when the season starts,” Still said.

“The three things I think you look for are fitness, ability and understanding. Do they all come together? No, probably not because some teams start off on fire and then gradually fade, some start a bit slower.

“It is difficult but I have a way of working that I think has served me unbelievably well, so we’ll stick to that, we’ll work with that and keep going.”