Barnet will be seven points clear at the summit of the Conference at Christmas after a 3-0 win over ten-man Chester this afternoon.

John Akinde grabbed his 19th of the season in fortunate circumstances to open the scoring after 28 minutes.

Experienced Chester defender Gareth Roberts was then dismissed after the break, with Charlie MacDonald doubling the lead six minutes later for the Bees. Curtis Weston got the third late on to seal the points.

Martin Allen made one change from Barnet's last league fixture at Torquay United a fortnight ago, with Luisma Villa taking Mauro Vilhete’s place on the right-hand side of midfield.

Graham Stack began in goal, with Andy Yiadom, Bondz N’Gala, Jack Saville – preferred to the benched David Stephens – and Elliott Johnson comprising the back five.

In midfield, Luisma was joined by Weston, Sam Togwell and Lee Cook, with MacDonald and Akinde up front.

Chester boss Steve Burr made one change; new signing Kane Richards taking the place of Michael Kay. Ben Heneghan switched to right back, with Richards out on the left wing.

The visitors started strongly and ought to have opened the scoring after just three minutes when Sean McConville found himself unmarked on the run and leapt to meet a left-wing cross but could only plant his effort wide.

Chester goalkeeper Jon Worsnop was tested for the first time two minutes later when Cook whipped a free-kick in from the right, forcing the gloveman to push away unconvincingly.

Richards – making his debut for Chester after joining from Ilkeston on Wednesday – thought he had opened the scoring in the 15th minute when he raced onto a ball over the top and directed a perfectly-weighted lob over Stack. The linesman’s flag was raised though, much to Barnet’s relief.

And the visitors came as closest to opening the scoring eight minutes later when Stack was forced into a fine double save. First skipper Matty Brown saw his firm header clawed away by the Bees custodian, before Richards’ follow-up was parried to safety.

Bees midfielder Weston came close shortly after, slicing wide first time after meeting Johnson’s left-wing centre on the run.

Just 60 seconds later the Bees were ahead. Chester midfielder Kingsley James attempted  a pass back to goalkeeper Worsnop without looking, allowing Akinde to steal in and slot under the stopper to open the scoring.

A similarly poor backpass almost yielded an equaliser for the lively Richards five minutes before the break. N’Gala’s knock back to Stack was short, leaving the goalkeeper to blast his clearance against the Chester wideman, whose deflection took the ball narrowly wide.

Stack suffered some damage in the incident and defender Saville took the next goal kick as a result.

Burr’s side had the first chance of the second period when striker Craig Hobson, who had endured a quiet first half, strode forward and smashed against the Barnet crossbar from 25 yards.

With seven second-half minutes gone, Chester were reduced to ten men. Former Wales international Roberts elbowed Luisma and was given a straight red following a lengthy consultation between Dean Treleaven and one of his assistants.

It took Barnet just six minutes to make the numerical advantage tell; MacDonald getting the finishing touch on a clever near-post cross from Cook. It was MacDonald’s sixth of the season and his first since September following an injury lay-off.

Heneghan wasted a Chester chance from a rare foray forward by electing to shoot into Stack’s grasp from 30 yards, whilst Bernard Mensah curled into the palms of Worsnop for the Bees as the two sides traded chances.

With the game won, Allen chose to withdraw goalscorers MacDonald and Akinde, with Stephens a direct replacement for Akinde up front.

Stephens played a big part in Barnet’s third, laying the ball off for Weston who fired home from the edge of the area on the run with seven minutes remaining.

The final scoreline did not do the Blues justice after a good first-half performance in which they had created the better chances before Akinde opened the scoring. Once Roberts had been dismissed it was one-way traffic and the Bees deservedly prevailed.

Macclesfield Town’s resounding 5-1 win at Alfreton Town means the Bees will be top of the Conference by seven points on Christmas day, with a trip to Aldershot next up on Boxing Day.

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, N’Gala, Saville, Johnson; Luisma, Weston, Togwell, Cook (Vilhete 61); MacDonald (Mensah 69), Akinde (Stephens 77).

Subs: Muggleton, Hunt.

Chester: Worsnop; Heneghan, Brown, Charnock, Roberts; Rooney, James; Mahon, McConville, Richards; Hobson (Touray 55).

Subs: Kay, Winn, Piers, Greenop.

Referee: Dean Treleaven.

Attendance: 1,946 (191 away supporters).