Martin Allen felt Barnet’s first-half display against Nuneaton Town was consistently average but acknowledged the 1-0 victory as the sign of a good team.

The Bees were laboured in the win over Liam Daish’s relegation-threatened Boro but John Akinde’s second-half volley was enough to fire Allen’s men back to the Conference summit and a point clear of Bristol Rovers in second.

Barnet struggled to break down the Warwickshire outfit in the first period, coming closest when the returning Charlie MacDonald struck the inside of the post following a defence-splitting pass from Mauro Vilhete.

Speaking afterwards, the Bees head coach mused: “I thought we were consistent in the first half – consistently average.

“We never really got going but it is difficult when you are coping and playing in these games, especially against what is a good side. Don’t be kidded by where they are at the moment, they have been on a good run and got some good players in on loan.”

He continued: “It took a lot of guts and character to win that game. It was not fantastic to watch, it was not like watching Barcelona. But the aim of the game was to win. We played well at Alfreton last week and did not win.

“I would not say it is a sign of champions but it is the sign of a good team when you do not play well but can still come out and win.

"At the end of last season there were a couple of games where we did not play well, everybody threw the towel in and we lost about 4-0 or 5-0 and I thought [they were] ‘bloody awful’ but this lot don’t do that.”

And Allen was full of praise for match-winner Akinde, who equalled Gary Bull’s record of 30 goals for the club in a Conference season by controlling and volleying home Andy Yiadom’s inch-perfect cross from the right-hand side.

It was Akinde who conceded the last-gasp injury-time penalty at Alfreton Town a week ago and Allen revealed the foul on former Bee Dan Bradley had preyed on the striker’s mind since.

He explained: “It is always good when you have got a player like that in your team that can score a goal like that out of nothing and what a goal it was – an unbelievable goal.

“I am really pleased for him because he has had a hard week, he has been pretty disappointed by giving away that penalty last week in extra-time but we have tried to help him get himself back together because he was more disappointed than anybody.”

Skipper MacDonald made his first league start since the 3-1 home reverse against Grimsby Town on February 21 and Allen lauded the importance of the experienced goal-getter.

“Charlie (MacDonald) was really unlucky [not to score] there,” admitted Allen. “He has been superb in training and it was after that session on Tuesday where I decided to play him today.

“I do not think his knee is 100 per cent right but he is a model professional and he boosts the dressing room.

“I like it when he plays for our team and I thought in front of our own supporters today, as our captain, he has been an iconic figure and I felt today was the right day to give him a go. It was a shame it didn’t go in but he will score for us before the end of the season.”

You can read the match report from Barnet’s all-important win over Nuneaton by clicking here.