Barnet suffered a heavy defeat in their last game of the season, their defensive errors being punished by an eager Crewe side, with striker Chris Dagnall grabbing a hat-trick in a 4-1 win.

Caretaker boss Rossi Eames selected an unchanged starting eleven, opting for the same team that had defeated Grimsby Town at the Hive the week before.

The Bees conceded an early goal once more, something that has blighted their season and from the eighth minute Barnet were playing catch-up with Crewe ultimately able to cruise fairly comfortably to a victory.

Crewe started the match in fine form with their passing movements causing difficulties all over the pitch for the Bees.

The opening goal of the game came when a long ball punted forward was latched onto by Dagnall, and with David Tutonda failing to offer an effective challenge, the Crewe’s striker effort from close range went under keeper Josh Vickers’ body.

Barnet’s response was a blocked effort by Jack Taylor before the Crewe defender Zoumana Bakayogo did well to prevent John Akinde latching onto a pass when the striker had cleverly found a way through.

Skipper Michael Nelson was unfortunate not to level the scores from a corner and a Jamal Campbell-Ryce free-kick also went close.

The Bees continued with the tactic of trying to find striker Akinde with long passes, but it was proving largely fruitless and Crewe were soon once more in the ascendency.

The home side scored the second in the 25th minute when a Nelson long pass was intercepted and Dagnall hit a firm low shot from distance into the corner, with Vickers this time blameless.

Crewe’s second goal of the afternoon demoralised Barnet. With little resting on the outcome and with both sides stranded in the no-man’s land between the play-offs and a relegation scrap, the Bees had difficulty in summoning up the will to take on the challenge.

Tutonda was substituted with less than half an hour having been played. The left-back, who didn’t appear to be injured, was replaced by the more experienced Elliott Johnson with Barnet attempting to shore up their defence.

In the second half the home side allowed Barnet a greater share of the possession hoping to hit the visitors on the break.

This ploy nearly backfired when, just after the hour mark midfielder Curtis Weston struck a powerful shot from 25 yards that had the Crewe keeper beaten all ends up.

Stirred into life, Crewe responded with Dagnall completing his hat-trick just moments later. An unfortunate slip by Nelson at a key moment allowed the ball to be delivered into Dagnall who astutely steered the ball into the Barnet net.

Any thoughts of a comeback where effectively extinguished at this point.

Dagnall, this time the provider, headed on for George Cooper to finish neatly in the 76th minute and although Akinde continued to look the most likely player to narrow the scores a home win was now a certainty.

Indeed the home side had a number of opportunities to give the scoreline an even more embarrassing look about it.

And so Barnet’s season ended in a bit of a whimper. The Bees briefly flirted with the play-offs during the early part of the campaign and whilst there has been a pleasing absence of any relegation worries, and on reflection this season might be seen as one of consolidation, there is a nagging feeling that Barnet have not fulfilled their potential this time around.

Barnet: Vickers, H Taylor, Nelson, Clough, Tutonda (Johnson 29), Akinola, Weston, Fonguck (Mason-Clark 45), J Taylor, Campbell-Ryce (Coulson 69), Akinde.

Not used: Bover, McKenzie-Lyle, Mason-Clark, Smith.