Barnet’s League Two campaign started disappointingly as the Bees suffered a 3-0 defeat against Port Vale.

An early goal from Louis Dodds was soon added to by a Jennison Myrie-Williams penalty. Barnet didn’t offer much threat going forward in the opening 45 minutes.

The Bees did improve after the interval but any hope of a comeback was ended when Tom Pope curled in Vale’s third.

After impressing in midweek against Birmingham, Mark Robson understandably named an unchanged side.

Vale pressed the Barnet midfield from kick off and forced mistakes as possession was lost. Sam Morsy forced Bees goalkeeper Liam O’Brien into a good stop but it was a temporary reprieve as the hosts went ahead in the seventh minute. A cross into the Barnet box was only half cleared. The ball was headed back into the area and Dodds swivelled and fired a volley into the bottom corner.

It was a deserved goal from the home side and they continued to threaten the Bees goal.

On 21 minutes, the lead was doubled. A poor challenge in the box from Jon Nurse left the referee with little option but to award a penalty.

Myrie-Williams took the spot kick and sent O’Brien the wrong way. Barnet had to up their performance if they were to take anything from the match.

The Bees first clear chance fell to Nurse. Good quick passing freed the striker but his effort was deflected into the side netting.

A strong run from Ashley Vincent saw him fire into the arms of O’Brien before Barnet captain Jon Fortune headed over from an Oliver Lee free-kick.

The score at the interval was a fair reflection on the contest but the Bees began the second period brightly.

They pressed higher up the pitch and Robson’s frustration was evident that a Nurse pass across the six yard box was not turned home.

Vale seemed content to sit on their lead and while Barnet’s passing improved, they still lacked a real goal threat.

Anthony Edgar came close with a free kick which drifted over before a Jordan Brown effort from distance didn’t trouble Chris Neal in the Vale goal.

Any hope of a comeback from the Bees ended on 74 minutes. Clever work from Pope in the area allowed him space to curl a strike into the corner and past O’Brien.

The Bees stopper then did well to deny Pope a second as he tipped a half volley away from goal.

Freddie Warren the blocked a strike from Dodds as the home side went in search of their fourth goal of the contest.

Barnet substitute Curtis Weston’s shot from the edge of the area was easy for Neal to deal with as the game drifted to an end.

It was a deserved defeat for the Bees who struggled to break through a strong Vale defence throughout.

Barnet will hope for better fortunes on Tuesday when they welcome Bristol Rovers to Underhill.

Port Vale: Neal, McCombe, Loft, Dodds, Myrie-Williams, Vincent, Pope, McDonald, Shuker, Morsy, Duffy.

Port Vale substitutes: Johnson, Yates. Murphy, Davis, Williamson, Lloyd, Burge.

Barnet: O'Brien; Warren, Kamdjo, Fortune, Brown; Yiadom, Lee, Abdulla, Edgar; Holmes, Nurse.

Barnet substitutes: Cowler, Saville, Gambin, Fuller, Hyde, Weston, Byrne.

Attendance: 4608 (166).