Martin Allen felt Barnet’s performance in their 3-0 win over FC Halifax Town was their best in a long time after watching his time play how he had wanted to for the last three weeks.

Goals from Mauro Vilhete, John Akinde – breaking Gary Bull’s club record of 30 strikes in a Conference season – and Curtis Weston sealed a comprehensive victory for the Bees.

Allen’s side eked out 1-0 wins against Nuneaton Town and Dartford over the Easter weekend but were a long way from their best in both games against two sides deep in relegation trouble.

However, with Vilhete’s opener coming after just two minutes any nerves were settled early on at The Hive.

And as the Shaymen had done a year ago, Barnet went on to hand out a football lesson to their visitors.

Reflecting on a win which maintains Barnet’s one-point lead atop the Conference, Allen enthused: “You have got to say that is the best we have played in quite a while. “But as I said to the players in dressing room: you only get three points for this one and we only got three points for playing pretty pants last week and winning 1-0.

“There have been no celebrations, no jumping for joy. We just keep it all in perspective, get our heads down and get ready for the next one.”

Addressing the vastly-improved manner of the win, he said: “I do not know [why we played so well], we have done all the same things in training for the last three weeks.

“I have ordered them to get it down, pass it and shift the ball around the pitch but it has not happened.

“Sometimes as a coach you ask people to do things but they are not quite able to do it but today they did and they played fantastic football so the opposition had to change their formation after 20 minutes.”

Man-of-the-match Conor Clifford began in an unfamiliar wide midfield role out on the left but the decision to play the Dubliner as a narrow ‘winger’ was more than justified by his all-action display.

Explaining his decision to move to Southend United loanee into an unfamiliar role, Allen said: “We had to get our best players in the team.

“He was not playing on the left wing, he was not playing in central midfield, he was playing on the left. Mauro (Vilhete) was playing on the right and whenever the ball got up to Mr Akinde and Mr Gash we wanted to get Curtis (Weston) in support because he is in a fine run of scoring form.

“And in between that we wanted to pass and move the ball so our full-backs could get forward. By having four midfield players we managed to do that. The tenacity of all our players was first class and that allowed us to get our full-backs forward and play our way.”

Allen added: “Conor has been unlucky. There have been a few times where I have started in a 4-4-1-1 formation and at half-time Conor has been sacrificed to put (Michael) Gash up front, which has been very harsh on him because he is a good player and he has played very well for us.”

You can read the match report from Barnet’s resounding win by clicking here.