Two goals late in the first-half at the Peninsula Stadium were enough to see Salford City send the Bees home empty-handed from Greater Manchester this afternoon.
Dean Brennan named an unchanged XI for the lunchtime kick-off against the Ammies, with the only change to the substitutions seeing Mark Shelton return to the bench against his former side.
Ryan Glover fed the ball into the feet of Romoney Crichlow in the box, but the offside flag was up inside the first few minutes of kick-off.
Down the other end of the pitch, the ball fell nicely for Ammies’ forward Ryan Graydon on the edge of the area, but Cieran Slicker made the decision to come off his line and gather.
With ten minutes on the clock, Cole Stockton sent an effort towards goal for the hosts, but he lost his footing, causing him to strike wide. His teammate Graydon then glanced an effort wide.
Salford continued to put pressure on the Bees, with Cieran Slicker forced into his first save of the afternoon to deny Jorge Grant’s goal-bound strike. Adam Senior was on hand to block the rebound.
With the Bees trying to gain more control in the tie, Diallang Jaiyesimi charged down the left-hand side before playing the ball into the box. Nnamdi Ofoborh connected with the ball to send it towards goal, but it was into the hands of Salford shot-stopper Matty Young.
The first-half continued with little action in either box as both sides struggled to create goal-mouth opportunities.
Glover did well to win the ball out on the right-hand side before working it into the box and getting the shot away, but a red shirt was in the way.
Just as it looked like the game could be heading into the break goalless, the hosts had other ideas, with Ron Longelo giving Salford the lead with 39 minutes on the clock.
Just before the fourth official indicated an additional three minutes, Salford struck again, this time with Stockton laying the ball into the path of captain Matt Butcher to fire home.
Half-time: Salford City 2-0 Barnet FC
The Ammies came close to a third after the break, with a corner coming in from the right, with the final touch ricocheting off the post. Thursday resulting set-piece from the left forced Slicker to make a save from point-blank range.
A high ball then fell to Graydon in a dangerous area, but Kanu did enough to steer the forward off target.
Dean Brennan made a double change just before the hour mark. Ben Winterburn made way for Anthony Hartigan, while Britt Assombalonga entered the action in place of Jaiyesimi.
Hartigan played the ball off to Ofoborh and as the 330 travelling Bees’ fans echoed shoot, he struck the ball cleanly, but it soared over the bar.
Glover found himself with the ball in the area and plenty of time to work some magic and find as lifeline for Barnet, but the Salford defence did their job to deny the winger.
Another double switch from the Gaffer with over ten minutes left to play. Mark Shelton and Phillip Chinedu were introduced, coming on in place of Callum Stead and Romoney Crichlow.
As the clock wound down at the Peninsula stadium, Prince Ehibhatiomhan put a cross into the box for the hosts, who had no one on the end of it to poke it home for their third, with the Salford substitute’s attack the last action of the 90.
Oli Hawkins replaced Glover for the final moments on the road.
Full-time: Salford City 2-0 Barnet FC
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Jaiyesimi (Assombalonga, 59’), Stead (Shelton, 77’), Kanu, Glover (Hawkins, 90+1’), Winterburn (Hartigan, 59’), Tshimanga, Crichlow (Chinedu, 77’), Ofoborh