The Bees closed out the season and their first back in the EFL after seven years with a win over relegated Harrogate Town.
The victory sees Barnet end the season nine unbeaten.
Dean Brennan named an unchanged side for the final outing of the campaign, including the bench.
The Bees opened the scoring just five minutes after kick-off and who else but Callum Stead to find the back of the net to give Barnet an early lead. A lapse of concentration in the Harrogate defence saw Kabongo Tshimanga pick the ball up in a dangerous area, before making the decision to play it into our number ten who calmly slotted it past Mark Oxley.
Tshimanga came close to getting a goal of his own on 13 minutes. The ball was threaded through to the striker by Ryan Glover, with our number 20 striking a powerful effort first time, but Oxley was on hand for the Sulphurites to parry it away.
As we approached the half-an-hour mark at the Exercise Stadium, Bryn Morris forced Cieran Slicker into a superb save from a free-kick, but the Bees’ shot-stopper was unable to keep out the penalty that was awarded following the resulting corner when Romoney Crichlow fouled Jacob Salter in the box.
Barnet looked to respond quickly and Idris Kanu took aim inside the area, but with too many yellow shirts in the way, the ball was deflected out for a corner.
Tom Hill had the ball in dangerous position for the hosts as we edged closer to the halfway stage, but Nik Tavares was composed and was able to shield the defender away from goal and the ball was eventually gathered by Slicker.
The Bees looked for a second before the break, with a couple of corners allowing Barnet to create opportunities in the Harrogate half, but both of Anthony Hartigan’s set-pieces from the right-hand side were unable to beat the first man.
Half-time: Harrogate Town AFC 1-1 Barnet FC
Dean Brennan made a half-time change, with Nik Tavares making way for Kane Smith after receiving a yellow card earlier on in the tie.
The hosts came out firing after the break, hitting the underside of the bar through Shawn McCoulsky five minutes after the restart, before the ball was put on a plate for Hill who’s goal-bound shot was blocked by a Bees’ shirt.
The Sulphurites came forward again, this time down the left flank with Reece Smith, but the cross delivered into the box was easily claimed bye Slicker.
Up the other end, Adam Senior rescued the ball and made the decision to play it long to Mark Shelton inside the area, whose effort was pushed away by Oxley for a Barnet corner.
The sold-out Harrogate home fans were sure their side had a second when Tobias Brenan looked to lift the ball over Slicker, but with not enough height, Senior was able to scramble to make the ball didn’t find the back of the net.
Dean Brennan made a double change with 65 minutes on the clock. Joe Kizzi and Nnamdi Ofoborh came on in place of Danny Collinge and Hartigan.
Shortly after, Diallang Jaiyesimi replaced Ryan Glover on the wing.
Chances were far and few for the Bees as the second-half continued. Smith let fly from distance after finding himself in plenty of space, but the number 23 couldn’t keep it down and it soared off target.
Moments later, the defender sent a shot from inside the area straight into the hands of Oxley.
As we entered the last ten minutes of normal time, George Thompson sent a deep ball into the danger area for Harrogate, but Slicker read it well and rose to claim.
Phil Chinedu was introduced with 82 minutes on the clock, replacing Kanu.
The 19-year-old made an instant impact from the bench, with his first touch of the ball sending the ball low and into the bottom right corner to give the Bees the lead late on.
Shelton forced the Harrogate shot-stopper to push the ball onto the roof of the net from a tight angle on the left-hand side as the Bees looked for another before the end of the game.
As we entered added time, Chinedu had to exit the action and the Bees were made to play the remainder of the game with ten men, as the defender came off worse in aerial duel.
Harrogate did everything to find a late goal, sending multiple balls into the box as the clock wound down, but Slicker was equal to every ball and the referee blew to signal the end of the game and the conclusion of the 2025/26 campaign.
Full-time: Harrogate Town AFC 1-2 Barnet FC
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge (Collinge, 65’), Senior, Stead, Kanu (Chinedu, 82’), Glover (Jaiyesimi, 68’), Hartigan (Ofoborh, 65’), Shelton, Tshimanga, Crichlow, Tavares (Smith, 45’)
Goals: Stead (5’), Chinedu (82’)