The Bees left Essex empty-handed this afternoon after falling to a heavy defeat at the hands of Colchester United in Sky Bet League Two.
Colchester opened the scoring in the first-half, before Barnet deservedly levelled proceedings prior to the break, but injuries and a Jack Payne hat-trick saw the game run away from the black and amber army in the second 45.
Dean Brennan made two changes to the team that lost narrowly to Swindon Town, with Ben Winterburn in the midfield from the first minute and Kane Smith operating at right-back.
Joe Kizzi took his place on the bench, while Mark Shelton wasn’t involved in the matchday squad due to an injury picked up last time out.
Colchester had the first entry into the Bees’ box inside two minutes of kick-off, after Nik Tavares was seen shirt pulling, but the free-kick was sent out for a goal-kick.
Up the other end, Kane Smith found Nnamdi Ofoborh on the edge of the area and played the ball into the number 28, who took time with it before sending a shot towards goal, but the effort was deflected out for a corner.
Our number 28 was in on the action again, this time charging centrally with the ball, before allowing it to leave his foot, but a U’s shirt was there to make the block.
As the half progressed, the hosts launched an attack, with a looping ball falling to Samson Tovide, who only had Cieran Slicker to beat, but our number 29 came to the edge of his area to deny the Colchester forward an opportunity, a moment which saw the two come together, with the U’s forward coming out worse, but both were able to continue in the tie.
Just before the half an hour mark, a change had to be made in the Bees’ ranks, with Kane Smith seeming to pull up and Joe Kizzi coming on in his place.
Our number 30 had only been on the pitch a few moments when he entered the referee’s book for a foul, with the U’s having a free-kick just outside the box in a dangerous position.
The half continued as a cagey affair, with not a huge amount of goal-mouth action for either side. Kyreece Lisbie sent a low effort towards goal for the hosts, but it was comfortable for Slicker to gather.
Colchester unlocked the Bees’ defence on the 39th minute through Arthur Read, who had the space to run at goal before curling an effort into the back of the net to give Colchester United the lead.
The Bees searched for an equaliser before the break, with Idris Kanu sending an effort from out on the left-hand side, but it was into the hands of Macey.
The Bees found an equaliser in the seven minutes added at the end of the first-half. It was excellent work down the right from Kabongo Tshimanga who played the ball across the face of goal and Ofoborh was there to fire it home to level proceedings at the half-way stage.
The hosts had one last attack of the first 45, searching for a second before the break, with the ball in and around the six-yard box, but the final touch from Teddy Bishop was inches wide of the left post.
Half-time: Colchester United 1-1 Barnet FC
A half-time switch for the Bees saw Ben Winterburn replaced by Oli Hawkins before the restart.
Slicker was called into action quickly in the second 45, punching away a shot taken by Rob Hunt as the hosts came out of the blocks and applied pressure to the Bees’ backline straight away.
A couple of minutes, the U’s progressed the ball into the box yet again and with no one wanting to shoot, the final move from Will Goodwin was eventually stopped by the Bees’ shot-stopper.
The hosts launched another counter-attack and much to the frustration of the home crowd, were unable to capitalise on another golden opportunity, this time with Romeo Akachukwu not finishing off the move.
Nik Tavares did well to stop Lisbie in his tracks down the left-hand side as Danny Cowley’s side continued to crowd the Bees’ box, but on this occasion the number 14 was unable to make an entry into the danger area.
Barnet were limited to little chances at the other end, with Ofoborh having another go at goal, but the strike didn’t have enough power on it and Macey gathered calmly.
As the hour mark, Dean Brennan was forced into his second unplanned change of the game, with Nik Tavares unable to continue after going to ground. Phillip Chinedu came on in the centre-back’s place for the final half an hour.
Colchester called for a penalty when Jack Payne was brought down in the box, but the free-kick was given the other way and the U’s midfielder saw yellow.
Following another entry into the area, Kanu made a perfectly-timed challenge to stop another Colchester attack resulting in a goal.
As the clock ticked into the final 15 minutes, Lisbie had another goal-bound effort, but Slicker got in the way and although the number 29 was unable to keep a hold of it, the danger was cleared.
The referee pointed to the penalty spot when Danny Collinge brought down Jaden Williams, with Payne stepping up to dispatch the spot-kick and give his side the lead, before adding a second just minutes later and giving Colchester a two-goal cushion heading into the later stages.
A double change for the Bees saw Jack Howland and Dennis Adeniran introduced, with Oli Hawkins and Idris Kanu making way.
Payne completed his hat-trick in added time of the second-half, scoring the U’s fourth of the afternoon and keeping the three points in Essex.
Full-time: Colchester United 4-1 Barnet FC
Line-up: Slicker, Collinge, Senior, Kanu (Adeniran, 82’), Glover, Winterburn (Hawkins, 45’ (Howland, 82’)) , Hartigan, Tshimanga, Smith (Kizzi, 30’), Tavares (Chinedu, 61’), Ofoborh
Goals: Ofoborh (45+1’)