Barnet boss Martin Allen felt it was not morally right to keep Watford loanee Bernard Mensah at the club as backup but expects to welcome the striker back as a guest this season.

Mensah, 20, scored twice in 11 outings in all competitions for the Bees but spent the bulk of his stint at The Hive as cover for first-choice pairing John Akinde and Charlie MacDonald.

The youngster's loan spell from Watford ended at the beginning of January and despite initially stating he would like to keep Mensah at Barnet, Allen allowed the striker to return to Vicarage Road.

Speaking about the decision on Tuesday, Allen said: "I had a good chat with Bernard. He is a great lad, a good professional who trained very hard and was very conscientious and very popular with the players and staff.

"But having a chat with Watford, his agent and Bernard himself, I think the situation he found himself in here was as cover. And for his own career and development, I think he needs to start and play regularly. That was not going to happen here - at the moment anyway - and I thought it would be better for him personally to give him that opportunity to get out and play."

Allen continued: "I could have been selfish and just kept him here and led him along, but I did not think it was morally right to do that to him. He needs now to be playing Conference football and scoring goals regularly, which he has the capability to do.

"Without a shadow of doubt, Bernard will be back here before the end of the season to be with us. He will be a very welcome guest before the end of the season."

Mensah joined the Bees in November but made just two starts for the club - one in the league - scoring against Torquay United and Concord Rangers in the FA Trophy.