Barnet moved into fifth place in the Skrill Premier following a 1-0 win over Hyde.

The bees were made to work for the win but a stunning start to the second period finally told on 57 minutes when Jon Nurse converted.

Jake Hyde saw an effort ruled out and chances to kill the match went untaken but in the end it didn’t matter as three points were secured.  

The biggest news for Barnet pre-match was the return of Jake Hyde to the starting line-up and Dani Lopez to the bench.

Barnet made a bright start to the match and they created the first chance on three minutes when Marsh-Brown cut in from the left and fired a low shot just wide.

The home side responded with a chance of their own when JJ O’Donnell curled a cross towards Danny Carlton whose header sailed wide of Graham Stack’s goal. 

With 11 minutes played the Bees broke in numbers but the opportunity was wasted as Marsh-Brown had a shot easily blocked in the box despite having better options available.

Nine minutes later Jake Hyde beautifully engineered an opening for Luisma Villa with a perfectly weighted through ball but keeper Lawrence Vigouroux rushed out to make the save. 

Five minutes later the keeper almost became the villain as he charged out to the edge of his box and punched the ball straight to Jon Nurse who blazed the ball over. 

The next chance fell to Mark Byrne as Barnet again hit the home side on the break but after good work from Marsh-Brown the Irishman was denied by Vigouroux.

In the latter stages of the half the Bees bombarded the Hyde defence but Andy Yiadom, Villa and Curtis Weston were all denied as the home defence held firm.

Barnet burst out of the blocks in the second period and they were desperately unlucky not to take the lead.

Jake Hyde was twice denied by Vigouroux in the opening moments of the half before Marsh-Brown blazed over.

The Bees’ top scorer had another bite at the cherry two minutes later but after controlling Villa’s cross he kicked the air and allowed Hyde to clear.

With 57 minutes on the clock the Bees finally went in front as the Hyde defence succumbed to the superb pressure applied by the away side following the break.

Jake Hyde started the move dancing past four challenges before playing the ball wide to Villa who then found Byrne, he darted into the box and cut back to Nurse who slotted the ball into the corner.

With 60 minutes played Marsh Brown saw a fierce shot blocked into the path of Villa whose rebound attempt was turned around the post by Vigouroux. 

From the resulting corner Jack Saville, who was booked moments earlier, stooped at the back post where his header was saved. 

Midway through the half tempers reached breaking point and Marsh-Brown was needlessly booked for shoving his opponent which means he will subsequently miss the Boxing Day clash with Luton Town.

Jake Hyde looked to have sealed the win with just over 20 minutes remaining but his effort was ruled out for offside but in the end it didn’t matter as it finished Hyde 0 Barnet 1.

Barnet: Stack, Yiadom, Stephens, Saville, Johnson; Weston, Byrne; Nurse, Luisma (Vilhete 90), KMB (Cadogan 81); Hyde (Lopez 77).

Subs: Jupp, Abdulla.

Hyde: Vigouroux, Thurston, Blakeman, Haining, O’Connor, O’Donnell, Poole, Brown (C), Spencer, Carlton (Devaney 70), Almond.

Subs: Hughes, Fitzgerald, Kiwanda, Day

Attendance: Not specified 

Bookings: Byrne, Saville, Marsh-Brown.