"There is still plenty to play for."

Barnet manager Paul Fairclough may be looking towards next season - he was talent spotting yesterday - but he still wants to finish the current campaign on a high.

He said: "I'm pleased with the way the players are finishing the season. We are unbeaten in four and we want to stay unbeaten. We want to get into a winning mentality."

The Bees are safe from relegation and cannot make the play-offs, but Fairclough wants maximum points from their final three games.

His troops saw off Hemel Hempstead Town to lift the Herts Senior Cup on Tuesday night, Fairclough choosing to field a full-strength team.

There were no obvious injuries on the night, which will have been a relief, as Barnet are particularly stretched in defence at the moment.

Ismail Yakubu has undergone a hip operation and is ruled out for the rest of the season, resulting in Joe Devera moving to the centre and youth player Nicky Ioannou filling in at right-back. Captain Ian Hendon is still struggling with injury, but Adam Gross did return to training this week.

Fairclough and coach John Harding were at Lilleshall for the Premiership trials yesterday, hoping to pick up new talent just released from the top clubs.

Barnet 4 Hemel Hempstead Town 2 Herts Senior Cup final (at the County Ground, Letchworth) Barnet lifted the Herts Senior Cup for the first time in more than ten years - but they made hard work of it on a bumpy pitch.

The Bees cruised to a 3-0 half-time lead, but allowed the part-timers to pull two back, before sealing the tie with a fourth just before the final whistle.

It all started according to plan for Paul Fairclough's troops. Liam Hatch's looping header from a Nicky Bailey free-kick found the far corner of the net via defender Chris Wild after just seven minutes.

Devera then slotted home a second on 28 minutes. The ball broke kindly for the young Bee after a penetrating run into the box by Barry Cogan.

It was soon three. A Cogan ball into the area was dummied by Giuliano Grazioli, allowing Hatch the chance to find the corner with a low effort.

Grazioli was the only change to the side that drew with Bristol Rovers on Saturday and Barnet looked too strong for the Tudors.

Hatch had the chance to make it four from the spot five minutes before the interval, but keeper Steve Smith saved.

Three minutes into the second half, prolific marksman Gary Sippetts capitalised on a Ross Flitney-Simon King mix-up to roll home what many thought would only be a consolation.

But Hemel pulled another back on the hour, Fabio Valenti volleying home at the far post.

The Bees looked shaky at the back and their Southern League Premier Division opponents started to believe they could force extra time.

Unsurprisingly the Tudors tired in the closing stages and Barnet began to carve out openings on the break.

The match was settled with three minutes to go. Cogan got to the byline and crossed for Grazioli to force the ball home at the near post.

BARNET (4-4-2): Flitney; Ioannou, Devera, King, Nicolau (Cole 90); Cogan (Freeman 90), Sinclair (Constanti 88), Bailey, Puncheon; Grazioli, Hatch. Subs not used: Harrison, Birchall. Best Bee: Barry Cogan.