Barnet are making a habit of scoring winning goals in the final ten minutes of matches. The latest came against Grimsby Town as Jake Hyde’s near-post flick secured a 2-1 victory.

Mauro Vilhete had headed the Bees ahead after just three minutes but Grimsby levelled on the hour mark through Craig Disley.

Barnet went in search of their third late winner and it arrived with nine minutes remaining. Hyde escaped his marker and finished coolly.

At the final whistle the Barnet supporters celebrated an important victory. Reaching the Skrill Premier play-offs is becoming a real possibility.

There was just the one change to the side which defeated Tamworth on Saturday. Derby County loanee Valentin Gjokaj replaced the injured Jack Saville in the Bees defence.

Barnet have tended to start matches slowly this season but the hosts went ahead in the third minute.

An early corner was whipped into the six yard box by Luisma Villa and Vilhete was left unmarked to head the hosts in front.

Barnet should have doubled their lead moments later as a Keanu Marsh-Brown pass put Dani Lopez through on goal but his shot struck the post and bounced clear.

The remainder of the half was closely contested. Gjokaj quickly settled alongside David Stephens and the duo dealt with the majority of Grimsby’s attacks.

Clayton McDonald flicked a header over the crossbar for the visitors before Scott Neilson saw a deflected shot go narrowly wide of Nick Jupp’s post.

There were no changes at the interval from either side but Grimsby began the second period with renewed attacking vigour.

Oumare Tounkara and Alex Rodman both had shots miss the target after the restart. 

The visitors’ pressure was rewarded with a goal just before the hour mark as a cross was met by Disley and his header looped over Jupp and nestled in the net.

It was a goal the Mariners deserved but it sparked Barnet into life and the Bees created numerous chances to re-establish their lead. 

Lopez missed the target with a header at the back post and Hyde’s tame volley was easily stopped by Grimsby goalkeeper James McKeown.

Marsh-Brown was more effective in the second half and he fired a shot narrowly over before forcing McKeown into a reflex stop.

Grimsby had their chances and almost went ahead from a corner. The ball was delivered to the back post and McDonald rose well and headed his effort across goal but just wide.

Barnet pushed forward in the final ten minutes and, just like in their two previous victories, they were rewarded with a winning goal.

Yiadom was the architect as his near post cross found Hyde’s clever run and the striker swept home.

The Bees came under heavy pressure in the final minutes but defended brilliantly. They dealt with a number of crosses and long passes into their penalty area.

Villa picked up a late ankle injury but continued despite being in obvious pain. It’s that team ethic which could prove vital in the coming weeks.

After five minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle. There was a sense of relief but also optimism around The Hive.

The Bees are two points off the play-offs and have games in hand on sides in the top five. They travel to Wrexham on Saturday.

Barnet: Jupp; Yiadom, Stephens, Gjokaj, Vilhete (Johnson 68); Byrne, Villa, Weston; Marsh-Brown (Cadogan 87), Hyde, Lopez (Adams 63).

Barnet substitutes: Abdulla, Mengerink.

Grimsby Town: McKeown; Bignot, Thomas (Fyfield 21), McDonald, Doig; Kerr, Disley, Rodman, Neilson (Cook 89); John-Lewis, Tounkara (Hannah 77).

Grimsby Town substitutes: Thanoj & Colbeck

Attendance: 1,375 (364).