Barnet’s lead at the summit has been cut to six points after the Bees were made to pay for a poor first-half display against Torquay United, going down 3-2.

For the second time in three days, following Saturday’s FA Cup defeat by Wycombe Wanderers, Martin Allen’s side conceded three times at home, losing back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Whilst the Bees pushed hard for an equaliser at 3-2, the Gulls created more than their fair share of clear-cut chances and were careless in not further punishing Allen’s side.

Torquay broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when Louis Briscoe stabbed home from close-range. And the Gulls took a 2-0 lead into the break when Ryan Bowman showed he was alert enough to flick home at the near post five minutes before half time.

Barnet halved the deficit after the re-start through Luisma Villa, but Briscoe added his second to extend the Gulls’ lead. Substitute Bernard Mensah clawed another back for the Bees in the 65th minute, with his first in Black and Amber, but it was not enough.

David Hunt made his first Barnet start in place of the suspended Andy Yiadom in one of four changes by Allen.

At left-back Mauro Vilhete came into the side, allowing Elliott Johnson to move into the centre of midfield.

Hunt and Vilhete were joined by David Stephens and Bondz N’Gala in front of goalkeeper Graham Stack.

Johnson moved into the centre of midfield alongside Curtis Weston, whilst Adam Mekki and Luke Gambin started on the right and left flanks respectively.

John Akinde and Charlie MacDonald were paired in attack.

Strong starts have typified Barnet’s season so far, but it was not so against Chris Hargreaves’ side, who saw the better of the opening 20 minutes at The Hive.

Chances were still at a premium, though Gulls skipper Luke Young tested Stack with a driven effort at his near post and would surely have had a second effort on target when he hooked the ball over Johnson’s head, only to see Stephens clear as he went to strike.

Barnet’s best moment came when the lively Gambin exchanged passes before setting up MacDonald, who was knocked off balance as he went to shoot inside the penalty area.

Gambin had earlier looped a header into the grasp of goalkeeper Martin Rice after a corner kick was flicked across the face of goal.

In the 24th minute Barnet fell behind from Torquay’s first meaningful attack down the left, the bulk of the visitors’ play having been down the right flank until that point.

Young made enough space to cross and fired in a low ball which Briscoe attacked with relish at the near post, stabbing beyond Stack to open the scoring.

With only 32 minutes on the clock, Allen made Barnet’s first change, bringing Luisma on for Mekki. The former Aldershot winger was receiving treatment as his number went up, but the change had been planned for several minutes.

Winger Toby Ajala almost doubled the Gulls’ lead when a well-worked move inside the penalty area resulted in his shot squirming out the grasp of Stack, who grabbed the ball gratefully at the second attempt.

Five minutes before half-time, the Devon side did double their advantage. Whether by design or otherwise, a near-post free-kick from Young found Bowman and the forward reacted quickest to flick the ball home.

Allen made another change at half time, bringing Cook on in place of the ineffectual Gambin down the left-hand side.

A breathless start to the second half saw Barnet get one back before immediately falling two goals behind once more.

First, after an exchange of headers between Akinde and MacDonald had earned a throw deep in Torquay’s half, Luisma connected with Hunt’s hurl into the area to halve the deficit.

However the visitors charged back into the Bees’ half and grabbed their third, with Briscoe curling home less than 60 seconds after Barnet had scored.

With 25 minutes remaining, the Bees hauled themselves back into it once more when MacDonald and substitute Mensah combined, the latter racing onto an inch-perfect through-ball to tuck beyond Rice into the far corner.

By now the hosts were pushing hard for an equaliser, and could very well have had one when MacDonald scampered away down the right and whipped across the face of goal for Akinde, who was only denied by the palm of the alert Rice.

With Barnet throwing caution to the wind, Torquay should have gone further ahead with less than 15 minutes remaining.

The Gulls broke at pace, Duane Ofori-Acheampong picking out the unmarked Ajala in the middle, but having steadied himself he could only slam wide from a good position.

Torquay were a constant threat on the break and on more than one occasion should have killed the game off for good; Ajala and Thompson both failing to stretch Stack when one-on-one.

MacDonald saw an effort blocked on the line at the death, twisting and turning to fire Akinde’s cut-back at goal, only to be denied by last-ditch defending from the Gulls.

With Grimsby Town beating Halifax Town 1-0, Barnet's lead at the top has been cut to six points ahead of Saturday's visit from AFC Telford United. 

Barnet: Stack; Hunt, Stephens, N'Gala, Vilhete (Mensah 56); Mekki (Luisma 32), Weston, Johnson, Gambin (Cook HT); Akinde, MacDonald.

Subs: Saville, Nurse.

Torquay United: Rice; Berry, Pearce, Downes, Cruise; Cameron (Thompson 76), Young, Richards, Ajala; Briscoe (Ofori-Acheampong 72), Bowman.

Subs: Seabright (GK), Yeoman, Odofin.

Referee: Mr Steven Rushton.

Attendance: 1,745.