Two early strikes from Notts County helped set the Magpies on their way to a 4-2 victory over Barnet.

Mike Edwards and Jon Stead put County two nil up with less than ten minutes played.

Alan Sheehan extended their advantage with a second half free kick, before Aaron McLean gave the Bees hope with a set piece of his own on 76 minutes.

Edwards put the Magpies out of sight a minute later, with Luke Gambin adding a consolation goal at the end of normal time.

Notts County opened the scoring on six minutes with the first clear-cut chance of the game – Edwards connecting with an Adam Campbell knock down to fire past Jamie Stephens from three yards out. 

The home side then found themselves two goals up minutes later; Stead slotting the ball into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box. 

Barnet’s first chance came with a quarter of an hour on the clock, as Curtis Weston’s low free kick was saved well by Roy Carroll.

Shaun Batt forced Carroll into another stop on 36 minutes, when he raced onto a Michael Gash through ball to shoot at goal from a narrow angle on the left. 

Notts County started the second half brightly, and McLeod could have added a third when he drilled a shot wide of the right post after 48 minutes.

Substitute Gambin’s jinking run and shot was then blocked by Elliott Hewitt, as the Bees tried to force their way back into the game.

McLean’s free kick was tipped over the bar by Carroll in the 68th minute, but Notts County were soon three goals to the good.

Sheehan fired a direct free kick past Jamie Stephens, with 15 minutes left to play.

His strike kick-started a manic few minutes at Meadow Lane, as McLean immediately replied for the Bees through a low free-kick that crept under the Notts County wall.

Barnet’s hope of a comeback were quickly extinguished however, as Edwards put the home side out of sight with his second of the game. 

Gambin fired a low shot into the bottom left corner of the goal in the last minute, but it was too late for the Bees to mount a comeback.

Next up for Barnet is a home clash against promotion chasing Mansfield Town on Saturday.