Barnet record 2-0 win against Bristol Rovers

After a dour first half display the game came to life in the second period and a goals from Izale McLeod and Clovis Kamdjo secured victory for Sanchez’s side.

There were two changes to the Barnet team as Mark Byrne was replaced by Ricky Holmes and Jack Saville came in for Gary Borrowdale whose loan spell ended at the end of December.

It was a positive start from the Bees as they quickly gained control of possession and created an opening for Holmes who fired his shot wide from a tight angle.

The game settled after that chance and although Mustapha Carayol headed wide the Bees looked fairly solid in defence.

After a period where both teams continued to give the ball away, Barnet had the first real opportunity of the game.

A poor back pass found McLeod through on goal but the League Two top scorer was just a little slow to react and Pirates’ keeper Michael Poke was quickly off his line to smother the ball.

The first half hour was lacking any intensity and a creative spark was needed. Michael Hector showed his class to bring to ball out of defence and shoot.

Unfortunately his effort flew over the bar and out of the ground.

With both sides knowing the importance of a win the hesitancy in attack was perhaps expected.

However, Barnet did look the more dangerous and when Mark Marshall had a shot from distance that flew well over the bar it summed up the first half for Barnet.

Just before the break the visitors had three good chances to take the lead.

Dean Brill had to react quickly to tip over a strike from Gary Sawyer and a low shot from Matt Harrold was well blocked by a combination of Paul Downing and Danny Senda to keep the game goalless at the break.

The second half started in the same way the first ended and, although the Pirates had a couple of free kicks in dangerous areas, neither side looked likely to break the deadlock.

Although they had conceded five goals last time out the visitor’s defence were looking very well organised and the Bees were finding it hard to work a way through the back four.

Barnet thought they should’ve been awarded a penalty when McLeod received a pass from Holmes, cut inside on to his right foot and was brought down in the box by Danny Woodards.

There was a loud appeal from the fans but it did seem Woodards had taken the ball before colliding with the striker.

Barnet seemed to have run out of ideas of how to break down the Pirate’s defence and it was the visitor’s who created two good chances to take the lead.

First former Bee Scott McGleish came close with a looping half volley from 25 yards which went just over the bar.

Then the best opportunity of the game so far then went to Chris Zebroski. The former Torquay United player skipped past two challenges and was through on goal.

Brill stood up for as long as he could and the slide of Downing meant the striker had to hit the shot towards the Bees’ keeper who made a good stop.

During the visitors best spell of the game the opening goal arrived – and it went the way of Barnet.

A long ball over the Pirate’s defence was raced onto by McLeod and, with a certain inevitability, the striker lifted the ball over Poke and into the net.

The Bees took control of the game following the goal and doubled their advantage with just over ten minutes to go.

A short corner was played to Holmes who worked his way into the six yard box before he fired in a low cross.

The ball was only half cleared and fell to the onrushing Kamdjo who smashed home.

A late Marshall free-kick nearly gave the scoreline a resounding look but the game ended with the Bees securing a win that moves them five points clear of the relegation zone.

Barnet: Brill; Senda, Downing, Hector, Saville; Holmes, Hughes, Kamdjo, Saville; Deering, McLeod.

Barnet substitutes: O'Brien, Taylor, Byrne, N'Daiye, McCallum.

Bristol Rovers: Poke; Sawyer, Woodards, Bolger, Stanley, Harrold, Carayol, Richards, Zebroski, Dorman.

Bristol Rovers substitutes: McLaggon, Brown, Anthony, Anyinsah, McLeish.

Attendance: 2,507 (431).