Barnet humbled table-topping Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Home Park with a highly-disciplined performance that gave the Bees a third away win of the season.

First half goals from Bira Dembele and John Akinde set the Bees on their way and a resolute display in the second-half secured the points.

Plymouth had lost 0-3 at home to Grimsby Town at the weekend, but nothing should distract from the victory; the notion going into this match was that Barnet would face a side desperate to get back to winning ways, such ways that had seen them establish an eight point lead over their rivals.

Barnet boss Martin Allen made two changes from the team that had played out a scoreless draw against Crewe at the weekend.

Dembele, available after serving a one-match ban, replaced Bondz N’Gala, who had been transferred to Eastleigh earlier in the day and Harry Taylor replaced Sam Muggleton in defence.

The Bees began on the front foot from the first and took the lead after only seven minutes when Dembele steered a header from a Luke Gambin corner on the right into the bottom corner leaving the Argyle keeper Luke McCormick floundering.

Four minutes later a Taylor pass picked out Curtis Weston but his shot from the edge of the box went narrowly wide.

Argyle were clearly knocked out of their stride but almost levelled when David Fox’s left-footed effort rattled the cross-bar in the 16th minute.

Barnet were working hard to deny the home side time and space on the ball, but this meant that they only rarely mounted attacks themselves, relying on breakaway incursions into the Argyle half.

Jake Jervis was causing problems for the Bees with his crosses into the middle and also from his shooting, but keeper Jamie Stephens was equal to all was asked of him especially when he dispossessed the Argyle forward as he bore down on the Barnet goal.

With the interval looming a strong Tom Champion tackle set Barnet on a breakaway and with the ball out wide on the right, a well-judged lofted pass from Mauro Vilhete found Akinde, who steadied himself on the edge of the box before steering the ball deftly into the Plymouth goal.

The home side began the second-period determined to force their way back into the game, but they encountered a Barnet rearguard just as intent on keep them out.

Argyle were seeing a lot of the ball, but were having difficulty in creating genuine opportunities.

As the clock ticked down Argyle became more desperate and frantic in their play which saw Barnet have a number of chances to extend their lead even further and with the home side solely focused on going forward they left holes at the back.

Incredibly Barnet then went close to forging for themselves a three goal lead, when, with almost an hour played, Champion set up Akinde, but the prolific marksman’s effort lacked precision and McCormack saved comfortably.

It was becoming more and more apparent that Argyle did not have the guile to score twice, although late on substitute Arnold Garita tested Stephens with a neat effort.

The final whistle was greeted with cheers from the Barnet faithful and jeers from the Home Park crowd and with this win under their belt the Bees can now face any side in this League with considerable confidence.

Barnet: Stephens, Taylor (Tomlinson 45), Dembele, Nelson, Johnson, Vilhete, Watson (Togwell 90), Champion, Gambin (Nicholls 85), Weston, Akinde.

Unused: Vickers, Muggleton, Akpa-Akpro, Mason-Clark.