Barnet lost for the second time in a week at The Hive as Jamie Chandler’s 70th minute header secured three points for play-off chasing rivals Gateshead.
Chances were limited for the duration of the 90 minutes but Barnet might feel hard done by after Jack Saville was brought down in the box by Adam Bartlett only for the referee to wave play on.
After a lacklustre opening 45 minutes the Bees introduced Luke Gambin and Jon Nurse but despite edging proceedings in the second period Chandler headed past Nick Jupp in the 70th minute to seal the points.
The Bees made three changes with Mauro Vilhete and Kieron Cadogan replacing injured duo Mark Byrne and Elliot Johnson and Valentin Gjokaj dropping to the bench in favour of Saville.
Keanu Marsh-Brown created the first opportunity of the match shooting wide within 60 seconds but it took 18 minutes for the Bees to register a second chance when Vilhete shot straight at Bartlett.
Curtis Weston was next to try his lucking firing a low shot wide before Charlie Adams had a shot blocked as the pressure began to build.
With 24 minutes played Dani Lopez headed over from a Cadogan cross as the visitors failure to test Barnet continued with former Bee John Oster leading the line.
The match exploded into life during the final five minutes of the first-half with both sides wasting chances to take the lead.
Barnet were first to test their opposition when Craig Baxter’s superb block denied Saville before Jupp denied James Marwood one on one.
The final opportunity of the half saw Adams fire an effort wide from just outside the box as the sides entered the break level.
Both sides began the second period with a sense of urgency but it was the visitors who threatened first when Oster was found unmarked at the back post before placing a low shot just wide.
With 51 minutes played controversy struck when Saville shot before being wiped out by Bartlett but the referee waved play on.
Brown headed straight at Jupp four minutes later but the Bees’ keeper was beaten on 70 minutes when Chandler looped a header into the net.
Barnet responded well with Adams shooting wide before being denied by Bartlett at the near post but it wasn’t to be as the Tynesiders held on for three points.
Barnet: Jupp; Yiadom, Saville, Stephens, Vilhete; Abdulla, Weston, Cadogan (Crawford 75); Marsh-Brown (Nurse 45), Adams; Lopez (Gambin 45).
Barnet substitutes: Mengerink, Gjokaj.
Gateshead: Bartlett; Baxter, Curtis, Clark, Magney (Holt 85); Chandler, Turnbull, Ramshaw; Marwood (O’Donnell 90), Oster (Hatch 90), Brown.
Gateshead substitutes: Walker, Lester.
Attendance: 1,361 (101)
