Barnet are eight points clear at the Conference summit after ending their two-game winless ‘streak’ with a 4-0 defeat of Southport.

Goals from Charlie MacDonald, Luisma Villa, John Akinde and a first career strike for Sam Muggleton sealed the win for the Bees, who had been better than their visitors in the first half without fully asserting themselves on the tie.

It was a different story after the break. Although Barnet did add three further goals, they did not arrive until late and only after a poor start to the second period. 

The scoreline ultimately flattered the Bees, who had not been on top until late on. But after seeing their lead cut to five points prior to today, it was a welcome relief.

Martin Allen made two changes to the side beaten at Grimsby Town last Saturday. In came Luisma and Jack Saville, with David Hunt and David Stephens dropping to the bench.

Andy Yiadom reverted to his regular right-back role, with Bondz N’Gala, Saville and Mauro Vilhete in front of Graham Stack.

Luisma, Curtis Weston, Sam Togwell and Lee Cook made up the midfield, with MacDonald and Akinde up front.

Barnet had the first chance of the game as they bid to banish the memory of defeats at Lincoln City and Grimsby Town and carved out a good chance after just seven minutes.

A perfectly-weighted ball over the top from Luisma found Akinde scurrying towards goal and under close attention from Dominic Collins, the Barnet number nine could only hook his effort into the palms of goalkeeper Callum Burton.

Burton was at full stretch 11 minutes later when Cook floated a free kick onto the head of N’Gala, who forced the Southport stopper into an excellent reflex save to palm his header over the crossbar.

But the Bees took the lead in the 20th minute through skipper MacDonald. With no-one around him for support, the striker saw his initial shot blocked by reacted quickest to angle a left-footed half-volley beyond Burton from the edge of the penalty area.

Burton was forced into another impressive stop shortly before the break when Cook unleashed a powerful left-footed free-kick which the Shrewsbury Town loanee had to get down to sharply before the ball was headed over for a corner.

The Bees remained on top for the remainder of the half truly stretching the Sandgrounders' defence.

Allen’s side were sluggish after the restart and struggled badly to impose themselves on Southport from the outset, with their first real sight of goal not arriving until after the hour mark.

Before that, Southport had been denied by an agile stop from Stack, who did well to push Paul Rutherford’s shot around the post at full stretch.

From the resulting corner, Weston came to Barnet’s rescue, heading a Southport attempt off the line.

Barnet finally created an opening of their own when Akinde darted down the left-hand flank, drove into the penalty area and let fly, only to see his fiercely-struck left-footed effort blocked by a defender.

And Akinde came close again with 14 minutes remaining, ghosting in from the left and receiving Luisma’s pass and firing into a sea of Southport bodies as he attempted to pick out the far corner. The Spanish midfielder then headed the rebound into the grasp of Burton.

The former Racing Santander playmaker then struck the woodwork from 35 yards with an impudent, audacious free-kick which caught out Southport keeper Burton.

However, Luisma eventually got his goal with nine minutes left. A ball in from the left found its way to Luisma, who was unmarked on the far side of the penalty area, and he made no mistake in crashing a left-footed strike into the far corner and beyond Burton.

Another Luisma free kick drew a stunning stop for Burton, who was forced to fling himself full-length to his right to palm away the midfielder’s dipping 25-yard strike.

Akinde got in on the act at the death, racing through to slot beyond the otherwise excellent Burton with an effort reminiscent of so many others from his highlights reel this season.

There was even time for a first professional goal for substitute Muggleton, who found himself on hand to head a bouncing ball over Burton on the line after everyone else stopped to wait for an offside flag.

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, N'Gala, Saville, Vilhete; Luisma (Gambin 86), Weston, Togwell, Cook (Muggleton 77); MacDonald (c) (Gash 82), Akinde.

Subs: Stephens, Hunt.

Southport: Burton; Parry (Evans 64), Connor, Collins, Fitzpatrick; George (Kay 78), Joyce; Rutherford (Marsden 86), Smith, Caton; Hattersley.

Subs: Lloyd-Weston (GK), Bakayoko.

Referee: Colin Lymer.

Attendance: 1,833 (134 away supporters).