IT’S BEES AT A CANTER WITH STEAD THE KILLER

WITH a goal in each half from Callum Stead, Barnet comfortably saw off their lacklustre opponents in York City who, although marginally better in the second half, were no match for the Bees who move up to second place in the table.

“The first goal was crucial, but we were outstanding today,” beamed Barnet head coach Dean Brennan. “All in all, it was a brilliant team performance.

“From our point of view, we have shown today the strength in depth we have in our squad.

“I was delighted with the clean sheet, we limited York to long range efforts. Clean sheets are what brings you success in my opinion and we need to keep to these standards.”

Indeed, Brennan’s side applied all the early pressure in bright sunshine with midfielder

Luke Freeman dictating the play with his intelligent left foot probing.

Barnet nearly took the lead midway through the first half when, from Anthony Hartigan’s free-kick, Stead’s header was well saved by George Sykes-Kenworthy, who pushed the well-directed header wide for a corner.

On 27 minutes, Stead then ran purposefully at the York defence before releasing a low shot from the edge of the box that found the bottom corner.

York were relieved to go into the interval trailing by a solitary goal, prompting boss Neal Ardley to respond by making two substitutions for the second half, designed to add more attacking intent.

Briefly, Barnet were pegged back with a Lennel John-Lewis’s header flashing just wide of the target in front of a large travelling support.

But just after the hour mark a route one ball from keeper Josh Keeley was not dealt with by the York defence, enabling Stead to slot the ball home past the advancing keeper Sykes-Kenworthy.

York kept plugging away but a failure to test Barnet keeper Josh Keeley meant that a comeback was always unlikely.

York’s top scorer Dipo Akinyemi side footed an effort in the 70th minute and later skied an effort when well placed.

Late on in a sweeping move that started in their own penalty box, Zak Brunt could have put the outcome beyond doubt but he dallied and the opportunity was lost; but there could be no doubting Barnet’s all-round

superiority.

York head coach Ardley did not hide his displeasure when he said: “I am really disappointed, we were lethargic, we were tepid, and we lacked energy.

“We were much better in the second half, but when you are chasing the game against a good side you need to take your opportunities and not give anything away at the back.

“We didn’t close them down with any intensity and let them do what they wanted.

“It was so painful to watch. We just never got going.”

Callum Stead (Barnet) 2,187 ★★★★★