John Akinde’s 46th minute penalty kick-started a second half comeback from Barnet, who recorded a 3-1 victory over Notts County at The Hive. 

The Magpies took the lead with a spot kick of their own – Jon Stead converting in the sixth minute after a foul on Izale McLeod. 

But the Bees pulled level through Akinde, before a well-worked Mark Randall goal gave them the lead with just over half an hour to play. 

Andy Yiadom made sure of all three points when his deflected effort looped into the back of the net on 62 minutes. 

An action packed opening to the match saw Barnet have the first chance of the game. 

Fumnaya Shomotun latched onto a loose ball, before bursting through on goal in the fourth minute – the midfielder got a shot away but it was saved by County keeper Scott Loach. 

The Bees found themselves a goal down a minute later, when former Barnet man McLeod was brought down inside the box. 

Stead stepped up to take the resulting penalty; sending Jamie Stephens the wrong way and slotting the ball into the right side of the goal.

Notts County followed up their opener with two good attempts in the space of five minutes. 

McLeod fired in a seventh minute effort that flew just wide of the right post, before forcing Stephens into a low save soon after. 

Barnet played some neat passing football in the first half, but it took until the 27th minute for them to respond – Shomotun jinking around Stanley Aborah before powering a shot at Loach from a tight angle. 

Stead connected with a low Filip Valencic cross from the left on 33 minutes, but poked his effort wide of the left post. 

The ex-Bradford City striker had another opportunity five minutes before the break; dragging a shot wide after an incisive pass from Liam Noble. 

Barnet began the second half as explosively as the first, but this time they were rewarded with a 46th minute penalty.

Substitute Michael Gash was felled in the area, before Akinde tucked the ball into the bottom left corner for the equaliser. 

The Bees then went one better and took the lead in the 56th minute.

Randall played a one-two with Andy Yiadom – picking up the return pass inside the box and powering it past Loach, to give Martin Allen’s side the advantage. 

Barnet’s captain had a goal of his own six minutes later, when his shot from distance took a wicked deflection and ended up in the back of the net. 

Notts County tried to force their way back into the game, and Stephens had to make a smart save to keep out Noble’s low drive in the 65th minute. 

But the Bees could have increased their lead when Akinde fired over the bar from a few yards out with twelve minutes left on the clock.

Graham Burke tested Stephens in the closing stages of the match, but ultimately it was a comfortable victory for Barnet after a solid second half display.