Martin Allen was in optimistic mood following Barnet’s first away defeat of the season against Macclesfield Town on Tuesday night, insisting that he was happy with the Bees’ performance if not the result.

Speaking after the game, the Barnet manager reflected:

“We actually played quite well, believe it or not. I don’t think they had a shot before the lad has put one in the top corner. We were comfortable and the goalkeeper hadn’t had anything to do when we were playing away from home against a team that had not lost here.

“There were not any alarming moments. Stacky made one good save; that was the only other opportunity that they had had in the game.

“You’ve got to say the 30-yarder in the top corner was an outstanding goal, and then to score from the set play – we probably had three or four players up the pitch then trying to get the equaliser with fifteen minutes or so to go. The kid is never going to hit a shot like that the rest of his life.

“I think the players have given it everything that they have got, I can’t criticise them for their effort or their commitment. I thought we had numerous chances, their goalkeeper made some good saves but it wasn’t to be today.”

Martin made three changes during the second half – introducing Lee Cook, Adam Mekki and Luisma Villa in a bid to take something from the game – but admitted that it just wasn’t to be on the night despite his team pushing the Silkmen right up until the final whistle:

“Even at 2-0 down I still thought that we would get something out of the game. These players, they give everything every day in training and they give everything every game that we play, home or away. They give everything that they have got and we can’t ask any more of the players than what they gave tonight.

“We’ve done our best, but it just wasn’t good enough on the night. I thought overall we looked pretty solid and we looked very disciplined so I thought that it was a very good performance but we just need a little bit more than that perhaps.”

The manager finished by saying that he told his squad to put the defeat behind them after the game and that everyone’s focus is now firmly on Saturday’s game against Kidderminster at The Hive:

“I thanked them all for their efforts and told them to get straight outside and warm down. It’s the first game that we have lost away from home so I haven’t had to say this very often but I said well done, get the warm down done, get the food and the drinks, get sleeping on the way home and get ready now to prepare for Saturday.

“There’s no shouting, ranting or raving. It’s a case of getting our heads down and let’s get ready now for the next one and that is what we will all do.”