4:54pm Saturday 30th January 2010
Barnet slipped to their ninth league away defeat in a row at Meadow Lane this afternoon.
It means the Bees are still looking for their first win in any competition since November 7.
Despite a much improved second-half display, the visitors never really looked like salvaging a point, County having done all the damage in the first half.
Barnet boss Ian Hendon made two changes from the side that drew with Torquay on Tuesday, Albert Adomah and Kenny Gillet returning to the starting line-up.
Left-back Gillet started at right-back, much to the surprise of many travelling fans.
The hosts took just five minutes to strike, Karl Hawley volleying home a Matt Hamshaw knock-down from eight yards.
It was the start the Bees, already low on confidence, had dreaded.
The visitors managed to steady the ship, though Lee Hughes should have made it two on 20 minutes, scuffing a Ben Davies centre over the bar from six yards with the goal at his mercy.
It was a lucky escape for Barnet.
But it was two just a few minutes later, Davies curling a free-kick into the corner from a central position.
Captain John Thompson almost made it three, his header just going wide as the home side kept pressing.
The Barnet defence continued to look shaky, though they did start to come more into the game in the closing stages of the first half.
However, keeper Jake Cole had to push out another Davies free-kick, the Magpies still looking the more dangerous.
And the half ended with Davies curling yet another free-kick just wide of the far post.
County almost scored again at the start of the second half, Mike Edwards seeing Cole tip his towering header against the bar and over.
The Bees enjoyed a lot more possession in the second half and Adomah might have done better on the hour. He collected a Paul Furlong cross, lifted the ball over his marker, but shot weakly at Kasper Schmeichel. It was Barnet's first effort on target at least.
Sub John O'Flynn then forced the home keeper to parry a shot, as the Bees sensed a lifeline.
It was much better from Barnet, though Davies almost struck for County with ten minutes to go, his long-range volley landing on the roof of the net.
BARNET (4-5-1): Cole; Gillet, Devera, Breen, Lockwood; Adomah, Sawyer (O'Flynn 56), Hughes, M Hyde, Jarrett; Furlong (J Hyde 70). Subs not used: Carpenter, Leach, Tabiri, O'Neill, Deen.
Attendance: 6,444.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.times-series.co.uk