Barnet have returned to the Football League as champions following a two-year absence, beating Gateshead 2-0

Allen left Underhill on March 30, 2004 with the Bees battling for a play-off place in the Conference. Three spells and 11 years later he has delivered league football once more after Barnet pipped Bristol Rovers to the Conference title.

Fittingly it was the club’s longest-serving player, Mauro Vilhete, who got the ball rolling, heading home the opener after 26 minutes to settle any nerves.

And within four second-half minutes the Portuguese utility man had repeated the trick, stabbing home from close range following a corner.

After naming an unchanged starting XI for the third consecutive game on Thursday, Allen opted to go with an attack-minded bench, which did – once again – not include Lee Cook.

There was no place for backup goalkeeper Sam Cowler either, after the former West Ham United gloveman was surprisingly included amongst the replacements at Kidderminster Harriers a week ago.

Barnet went for the throat from the outset and were clearly intent on removing any doubt as soon as possible.

With that in mind, John Akinde nipped into get ahead of a Gateshead player and cut out goalkeeper Adam Bartlett’s under-cooked clearance and cut back for Curtis Weston, who saw his low effort cleared off the line.

The Bees were relentless and a Heed side with nothing to play for were struggling to get out of their own penalty area as the hosts attacked with relish.

Michael Gash was next to go close, angling over from 18 yards after Vilhete had laid off for the big forward.

News of a Bristol Rovers goal against Alfreton Town came through after 20 minutes meaning only a Barnet win would be good enough as the Bees temporarily slipped into second.

But just six minutes later the roof came off a packed Hive to salute a Barnet opener.

From Sam Togwell’s inch-perfect left-wing delivery, Vilhete rose highest on the penalty spot and thumped a header beyond Bartlett and into the top corner of the net.

The imperious Weston looked to have doubled the lead eight minutes before the break when he caught a dropping ball flush on the volley but instead only crashed against the bar from 20 yards.

Gateshead had offered next to nothing going forward and only forced Graham Stack into his first save of note shortly before half time when left-back Matty Pattison let fly from 25 yards. Stack got down to his right with ease to preserve a slender half-time advantage.

It took just four minutes of the second period for Barnet to strengthen their grip on the Conference title.

A Barnet corner was knocked down by Gash at the near post and Vilhete was on-hand to prod home from point-blank range and get the party started.

But seconds after going 2-0 ahead the Bees could have seen their lead halved and were indebted to Stack, who somehow managed to claw out Carl Finnigan’s goal-bound header as he dove full length to his right.

Vilhete really should have completed his hat-trick in the 67th minute when he planted Gash’s back-post delivery agonisingly wide from a good position.

The Heed had been vastly improved after falling 2-0 behind but could not trouble Stack’s goal despite seeing more of the ball.

And in the end it was Barnet who should have added to the scoring when Akinde rounded Bartlett on the left-hand edge of the penalty area but the Conference’s top scorer saw his effort deflected into the stranded keeper’s palms.

Bristol Rovers had won convincingly at home to Alfreton Town but it matterd not a jot. Barnet were Conference champions for the third time in their history.

The Football League awaits. 

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, N’Gala, Stephens, Johnson; Vilhete (MacDonald 90), Weston, Togwell, Clifford (Saville 82); Akinde (Luisma 90), Gash.

Subs: Muggleton, Gambin.

Gateshead: Bartlett; Baxter, Curtis, Clark, Pattison; Chandler, Finnigan, Gillies (Shaw 57); Saint-Luce, Rankine, Rodman (Ramshaw HT).

Subs: Dixon (GK), Allan, Orrell.

Referee: Darren England.

Attendance: 5,233.