Barrow AFC 0 Barnet 2

After a week that saw Barrow AFC crash out of the FA Cup and owner Paul Casson announce his departure from the club, this against Barnet was not the response that was needed.

The Bees won this encounter at Holker Street – the first between the two clubs in 27 years - all too comfortably after two first-half goals that were both caused by the Bluebirds creating their own problems.

After getting a monkey off their back by finally winning back-to-back games in their previous home game against Sutton, AFC have now lost their last three games in all competitions.

What was worrying was the lack of belief their players showed in their efforts to get back into the contest in what ended up being a hangover from their Cup shocker against Chorley.

Josh Kay came in for Jack Hindle on the left wing in the only change from last week, as manager Ian Evatt largely gave the players who let him down the chance to redeem themselves.

There was a couple of early chances for Dan Jones, who was left unmarked from John Rooney’s free kick, but directed his shot just too close to Barnet goalkeeper Mark Cousins, who made the save.

The ball was quickly recycled to Rooney on the right-hand side and he put in a dangerous cross that Jones couldn’t quite direct on target with his header.

Unfortunately for Jones, he was responsible for the Bluebirds falling behind in the 16th minute when his slip on the edge of his own box allowed Josh Walker to square the ball for Manny Duku, who had a simple finish.

The goal flattened the hosts, crowd included, with Duku then having the chance to grab his second, but he couldn’t keep his header down.

Barrow did manage to lift themselves out of their torpor, with Erico Sousa threatening an equaliser by cutting inside from the right before his effort was well blocked by Craig Robson.

But AFC had the stuffing knocked out of them again when Rooney was caught in possession by Charlee Adams, who released Wesley Fonguck down the left, with the midfielder bending in an excellent strike.

Evatt immediately made the decision to make his first substitution of the match by replacing Sousa with Hindle, in an effort to prevent the match drifting away with something to spare.

The score remained 2-0 to Barnet at the break and the visitors began the second half on top, with Duku shooting straight at Andy Firth from the edge of the area.

Brian Wilson, who was having an uncomfortable afternoon, was then dispossessed in his own area by Duku before appearing to pull him back as he bore down, but no penalty was given.

The visitors continued to threaten to put the game to bed, with David Tutonda breaking before playing the ball through to Fonguck, who prodded the ball past First but just past the post.

In contrast, Barrow were barely able to get a shot away in anger, with Barnet happy to sit deep and hit the home side on the counter attack, safe in the knowledge that their opponents were lacking in confidence.

Firth was called into action twice in quick succession when he pushed Elliott Johnson’s low effort away from his near post before holding Adams’ header from the resulting corner.

AFC then finally troubled the Bees when a superb cross from the left that picked out Jack Barthram, whose header was turned behind by Cousins.

Fonguck continued to look lively for Barnet, with an instinctive half-volley from the edge of the area landing on the roof of the net, with Firth nowhere near it.

Still the Bees looked more likely to add to their total than Barrow setting up a big finish, with Firth saving unconvincingly from Fonguck, and the final whistle ended what was a painful afternoon.

Barrow AFC (4-2-3-1): Firth, Brown (Barthram 45), Wilson, Jones, Norrington-Davies, Rooney, Taylor, Sousa (Hindle 37), Burgess, Kay (Molyneux 79), Smith

Subs not used: Dixon, Jameson

Barnet (3-5-2): Cousins, Sweeney, Robson, Johnson, Alexander, Taylor, Adams, Fonguck, Tutonda (Reynolds 63), Walker (Tarpey 71), Duku (Barham 68)

Subs not used: Matrivics, Mason-Clark

Referee: Simeon Lucas

Attendance: 1,135