Barnet signed off in convincing style with a 3-0 demolition of Crawley Town in their last game of the campaign with the prolific John Akinde adding two more goals to his impressive tally.

The Barnet starting line-up featured teenagers Harry Taylor in midfield and Nana Kyei, making his first-team debut, on the right wing, with the Bees clearly wanting to expose the graduates of its impressive youth set-up to the rigours of league football in advance of next season.

In the absence of Andy Yiadom, Michael Gash captained the Bees for the first time.

In bright sunshine and with Crawley having lost their previous seven matches the game started in a subdued manner although a free-kick from Jimmy Smith, after only six minutes, was heading goalwards until it took a deflection, very nearly giving the home fans something to get excited about.

Bobson Bawling then got free down the right soon after but his wayward effort did not trouble Jamie Stephens in the Barnet goal as the visitors, in the early exchanges at least, were the more impressive.

Taylor was becoming influential in the Barnet midfield, breaking up the opposition’s moves and using the ball intelligently and as the half progressed the Bees looked the more composed outfit.

Kyei was now catching the eye with surging forward runs and midway through the first-half he created an opening for Akinde which the striker was unable to capitalise on.

With six minutes of the half remaining Barnet took the lead when Elliott Johnson hit a fierce low shot into the Crawley net after they had failed to clear the ball effectively from a Sam Togwell long throw.

Within moments, Crawley so nearly levelled but Bira Dembele was on hand with a goal line clearance as the Bees just shaded the first-half; the only dampener being a crude challenge on Taylor which forced the Barnet youngster to leave the pitch with his sock considerably bloodied.

The second half saw the Bees assume control of the match with Wesley Fonguck, Taylor’s replacement, continuing the good work of his fellow teenager.

Gash soon had an opportunity to double Barnet’s lead when a determined Akinde crossed the ball into the middle only for the Bees skipper to just fail to get on the end of his strike partner’s delivery.

But the visitors did go two goals up in the 78th minute with Akinde astutely lobbing the ball over Jack Rose in the Crawley goal after he was deftly set up by Justin Nowogu.

With the allotted 90 minutes having almost elapsed a long punt forward by Stephens was latched onto by Akinde, who again beat the Crawley keeper confidently to score his 23rd league goal of the season.

The three Barnet substitutes that saw match action were all youth-team graduates with Tom Day, Fonguck and Nwogu all giving good accounts of themselves.

In their first season back in the Football League Barnet have become a respected mid-table outfit and with the number of youngsters breaking through into the first team, the club’s supporters might well see a side that has the ideal balance of youth and experience ready to make further progress when it all starts again in August.

Crawley Town: Rose, Dunne, Bradley, Yorwerth, Young, Fenelon (Edwards 62), Smith, Bawling, Sutherland, Tomlin (McAlinden 77), Barnard (Della Verde 85). Subs not used: Oyebanjo, McNerney, Preston.

Barnet: Stephens, Johnson, N'Gala, Dembele (Day 67), Sesay, Taylor (Fonguck 45), Gambin (Nwogu 75), Togwell, Kyei, Akinde, Gash. Subs not used: Nelson, Champion, Muggleton, McKenzie-Lyle.