Lee Cook admitted that Barnet’s players were disappointed following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Grimsby Town, although he felt that key moments did not go their way as the Mariners came from behind to cut Barnet’s lead to five points.

Speaking after the game, the winger said:

“It was obviously a disappointing result for us. It is a tough game here, a tough place to come. I thought that we started the game quite well today. We got the penalty, which was well-deserved because he definitely tripped him, and then they got two lucky goals in my eyes.

“Going 1-0 up early, to find yourselves 2-1 down ten minutes later with two disappointing goals made it difficult for us in the second half.

“The game could have been different if we had gone in at half time level or with the lead. If we had have gone in level and they did not get that soft penalty, I think we would have won the game.

“The third goal is what has killed us really. After that we have had to go a little bit more direct and gung-ho. We had to try something different.”

However, Cook was determined not to make excuses and admitted that he and his teammates would have to improve in order to maintain their position at the top of the league:

“We have had two tough games at Lincoln City and Grimsby Town and to be fair, in both of them, in the first halves we should have had more out of the game than we have.

“So maybe we have been a bit unfortunate but we know we can play better. We were not at our best and we know we can play a lot better than that. We will be back in on Monday have a chat about the game and get our heads down.

“We have got to get a couple more wins under our belt before the end of January and get going again.”

Despite losing successive games for the first time all season, the experienced midfielder is refusing to get carried away and insists that the side are not feeling the pressure as they look to maintain their position at the top of the table:

“We are top of the league and have been since day one. I thrive off it and I think a few of the boys do as well.

“I like that pressure and it is a good pressure to have. Every team every week ups their game by ten per cent because they are playing us. But we can cope with it.

“Yes, we have suffered knock backs in the two games against Lincoln and Grimsby but it is how we react to it. Every time previously we have lost we have reacted with a result. Today we did not but next Saturday we have to.”