John Akinde equalled Gary Bull’s club record of 30 goals in a Conference season by scoring an memorable winner in Barnet’s 1-0 win over Nuneaton Town last weekend.

The big frontman has enjoyed the most prolific season of his career by some distance, with his 18 goals for Alfreton Town last year his best return previously.

He has scored all kinds of goals and his penchant for winning penalties is well known - yet still goalkeepers get drawn into the trap of bringing him down when he is in a position of little or no threat.

There have been a lot of penalties, a lot of close-range finishes and a lot of memorable goals to boot. The criteria for the top five was not style alone, significance also had a bearing in the selection too.

With nine goals in his last 12 appearances, the smart money says Akinde will not only surpass Bull’s record – set as the Bees won the Conference for the first time in 1990/1991 – but win the Conference golden boot too.

To honour that achievement, Tom Bodell picks out his five favourite Akinde goals of an unforgettable season. There were plenty of contenders.

Southport (A), August 30

This goal was when we first saw the full range of Akinde’s ability in front of goal. Picking the ball up on the left-hand side of the Sandgrounders’ penalty area, he held off his marker before curling superbly into the far corner of the Southport net.

The view in the press box afford full appreciation of the strike, which bent stunningly beyond goalkeeper Daniel Lloyd-Weston to score his third goal of the season. Little did we know what we were witnessing the start of.

Welling United (A), November 1

Selected for the significance rather than the aesthetics, Akinde had already opened the scoring from close range before he settled the tie at the death.

Latching onto an agricultural ball forward from goalkeeper Graham Stack, the big number nine found enough room between Welling United’s centre-halves to stab beyond goalkeeper Benji Buchel to seal all three points.

Wycombe Wanders (H), November 8

In front of the biggest crowd The Hive had seen at that stage and more pertinently, his former employers, Akinde looked to have set Barnet on their way to an FA Cup shock after three minutes when he raced onto Charlie MacDonald’s flick on, rounded the ill-advised lunge of stopper Matt Ingram and slotted into the empty net.

In the end it was not to be as controversy reined thanks to straight red cards for Sam Togwell and Andy Yiadom. However, Akinde had for 31 minutes at least sent a stark reminder to the side for whom he netted eight times on loan, enabling Bees supporters to dream of an upset.

Aldershot Town (A), December 26

Akinde kicked off his third hat-trick of the season with a late Christmas present for Bees supporters, breaking the deadlock in a tight game with a classic big John goal.

A routine clearance from centre-back David Stephens turned into a great assist, dropping perfectly for the hulking forward, who with the perfect balance of strength and balance held off two Aldershot defenders and manufactured enough room to jab underneath Phil Smith.

Nuneaton Town (H), April 4

Just a fortnight ago, Akinde brought up 30 for the season and in fine style, settling a nervy encounter.

Yiadom’s cross into the penalty area was perfectly weighted and when Theo Streete – otherwise impeccable for battling Nuneaton – got his positioning wrong, Akinde controlled exquisitely on his chest before lamping a stunning half volley beyond Max Crocombe – the first goal the New Zealander had conceded on loan at Boro.

The sense of relief was palpable at Liam Daish’s relegation-threatened side were finally breached, Akinde’s goal worthy of a much grander occasion than it ultimately settled.

All videos courtesy of Barnet's YouTube channel, except vs Wycombe Wanderers - which is courtesy of FA TV.