Barnet ultimately suffered their fourth consecutive defeat of the season last season, but it came after a Checkatrade Trophy Group F clash at home to AFC Wimbledon that was full of thrills, spills and goals before it ended in a 4-3 loss.

Bees boss Rossi Eames made four changes to the side that had started against Stevenage at the weekend, with Darnell Smith and new signing Andre Blackman making their debuts.

The visitors, from a league above, often looked the sharper and more able on the ball and it was no surprise when they took an early lead.

Yet it was the Bees who created the first opportunity of note when Blackman’s cross found Mauro Vilhete unmarked at the far post only for his strike to be parried for a corner.

Keeper Craig Ross was then at fault when he allowed a speculative effort from distance by Anthony Hartigan in the fifth minute to squirm under his body.

Somewhat against the run of play, the hosts levelled in the 13th minute when Ruben Bover’s free-kick from 25 yards found the top left corner following a foul on Shaq Coulthirst.

Two minutes later the Dons re-established their lead when Ross saved Harry Forrester’s shot from distance only for Egli Kaja to find the back of the net from the rebound.

But Barnet were level again within 10 minutes when Bover split open the visitors’ defence with an inch perfect pass into the path of Coulthirst, whose low drive found the corner of the net.

Following some slack passing by the Dons, Bover then found himself in a goal-scoring position but he could not get the ball onto his favoured left foot and the chance was gone.

As half-time approached both sides had opportunities to forge ahead, with a Cody McDonald effort being well saved by Ross and skipper Charlie Clough’s glancing header from a Bover corner a whisker away from finding the net.

But two minutes into the second-half McDonald was unmarked and able to head home from close range with the Barnet defence going AWOL.

The Dons went 4-2 ahaed in the 56th minute from a David Tutonda own goal, albeit from a dangerous cross from the left by Callum Kennedy.

Wimbledon were then able - in the main – to comfortably keep the Bees at bay, although Coulthirst was well denied by keeper Joe McDonnell in a one-against-one situation.

Ross made an excellent acrobatic save to keep out a George Francomb free-kick and pushed the former Bees’ effort over the cross bar for a corner.

With two minutes of normal time remaining though, Blackman advanced unchallenged before releasing a swerving shot that flew into the net to give the tie a grandstand finish.

Substitute Simeon Akinola would go close to levelling the scores and taking the tie to penalties, but the Dons held firm for a deserved victory.

The positives for the Bees will be the performances of Blackman, who looked dangerous when going forward from his left wing-back berth and the invention that Bover brought to the midfield; both of whom made impressive cases for being in the starting line-up when the Bees visit Swindon Town at the weekend.

Barnet: Ross, Clough, Coulthirst (Amaluzor 82), J.Taylor, Tutonda, Akinola, Bover (Akpa Akpro 73), Fonguck (H.Taylor 61’), Vilhete, Blackman, Smith. Subs not used: R.McKenzie-Lyle, Santos, Kyei, Shomotun.