Aaron McLean admitted that once again Barnet had been too slow out of the blocks against Stevenage, but stressed the Bees are far from the finished article after coming from behind to win 3-2.

The 32-year-old striker scored his first goal in black and amber to pull Martin Allen’s side level in the second half after Fraser Franks and Tom Hitchcock had scored either side of Bondz N’Gala’s initial equaliser.

Barnet had been poor in the first 45 minutes and deservedly trailed at the break.

Speaking afterwards head coach Martin Allen spoke of his frustration at the first half showing and it was a theme McLean picked up on too.

He said: “In the first half I thought we were slow to start – which we have been in too many games this season.

“But in the second half I thought we came out and gave a better account of ourselves. There is still a lot we need to work on. We know that, we are not kidding ourselves thinking we win a game and we are the finished article.

“These are the games we need to be winning. When you get a foothold in the game like we did in the second half, it is import to go on and win the game thankfully we have done.”

Asked what had been said during the break to inspire a vastly improved display in the second period, Allen simply said the players had sorted it out amongst themselves.

McLean revealed a few home truths had been told and underlined the importance of players being comfortable with speaking honestly in order to get the best out of one another.

“Obviously what is said in the dressing room has to stay in the dressing room,” the former Peterborough United striker said.

“It was not good enough in the first half and we all know that. I think it needed us in the dressing room in the players to tell one another.

“As professionals you have to be hard on one another. You have to demand performances from one another and it can’t always be left to the manager to dig people out. You have to do it yourselves.

“As I’ve gone through my career I’ve had senior pros who are quick to dig you out when things are not going well.

“The younger lads need to do it as well, and if you do that as a team and sort it out as player, then the manager has got an easy job.”

You can read Martin Allen’s assessment of victory over Hertfordshire rivals Stevenage by clicking here.