Martin Allen hailed Barnet’s best performance ‘in quite a while’ on Saturday, as the Bees thumped play-off hopefuls FC Halifax Town 3-0 at The Hive to stay on top of the Vanarama Conference.

Speaking after the game, the manager paid tribute to the players for a confident and assured performance that gave Barnet their third win in a row and stretched their unbeaten run to seven games:

“It was good win and a good performance. Credit to all of the players, I thought that they played very well today.

“In all sport it is difficult the nearer you get to the end. I played golf with somebody during the week and he was two up with two to play and he blew it in the last two holes and we drew all-square.

“We have wanted them to get it down, pass it and shift the ball around the pitch but it has not happened. “But today – credit to all of our players and staff – everybody kept calm and played the way that we want to play.

“Sometimes as a coach you ask people to do things but they are not quite able to do it but today they did and they played fantastic football so the opposition had to change their formation after twenty minutes. It was just a terrific all-round performance.”

Martin made two changes to the team for the visit of the Shaymen, with Andy Yiadom returning to the defence and Sam Togwell coming into a reshuffled midfield. And having seen both full-backs claim assists for two midfielders to score – as well as Conor Clifford being named as Man of the Match – Martin

admitted that he was pleased with the results:

“Conor was not playing on the left wing, he was not playing in central midfield, he was playing on the left.

“Mauro was playing on the right and whenever the ball got up to Mr Akinde and Mr Gash we wanted to get Curtis in support because he is in a fine run of scoring form.

“And in between that we wanted to pass and move the ball so our full-backs could get forward. By having four midfield players we managed to do that. The tenacity of all our players was first class and that allowed us to get our full-backs forward and play our way.”

The result sees Barnet remain one point clear at the top of the Vanarama Conference table, but despite having just two games left to play Martin was refusing to get carried away as his side prepare to take on Kidderminster on Saturday:

“You have got to say that is the best we have played in quite a while. But as I said to the players in dressing room: you only get three points for this one and we only got three points for playing pretty pants last week and winning 1-0.

“There have been no celebrations, no jumping for joy. We just keep it all in perspective, get our heads down and get ready for the next one.

“I have honestly felt from day one that there is not an easy team in this division. In my mind every game is difficult to win. Everybody in the division is more than capable of putting in a good performance.

“What we decided was the only important thing was going to be that we just work on our team and on our players, that we work hard together and support and look after each other and give every game our best shot.”