A flurry of first half goals saw Barnet beat high flying Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.

Liam Sercombe opened the scoring after 12 minutes, when his powerful drive from inside the box beat Jamie Stephens in the Bees goal. 

Curtis Weston then equalised for Barnet with 25 minutes gone, as the away side scored three goals in quick succession. 

John Akinde put the Bees in front when he made the most of a defensive mix-up on 28 minutes, before Josh Clarke’s run and shot made it 3-1 two minutes later.

Sercombe netted his and Oxford’s second after 39 minutes, but a dogged second half performance secured Barnet their first away win in the league this season.

The opening chance of the match fell to Barnet – a Sam Muggleton long throw found Weston on eight minutes, but his shot flew wide of the right post.

Oxford took the lead soon after; Sercombe connecting with a right sided cross to fire the ball home, following a short corner routine from the U’s.

Bira Dembele then headed narrowly over the bar from a right sided cross, with 15 minutes on the clock.

What followed next was quite unbelievable, as Barnet scored three goals in five minutes.

Weston levelled things up after 25 minutes when he picked up Akinde’s flick on and slotted the ball past Sam Slocombe.

Akinde had a goal of his own three minutes later, when he capitalised on Jake Wright’s missed clearance to put the Bees in front.

Then Clarke doubled Barnet’s advantage when he charged down the right wing and drilled a low finish into the back of the net.

A pulsating first half saw Sercombe pull a goal back for Oxford on 39 minutes – the midfielder burst into the penalty area and finished clinically.

Clarke continued to trouble the Oxford defence, latching onto a good Weston pass before shooting straight at the keeper just before the break.

Sercombe almost had a third as he hit the post on the stroke of half time.

The early stages of the second period were as exciting as the first. 

Stephens had to be at his best to keep out a Danny Hylton shot, after Oxford countered from a 58th minute Barnet corner – the home team couldn’t get the resulting rebound over the goal line.

Oxford began to dominate possession as the half wore on, and Kemar Roofe put a good chance over the bar on 82 minutes.

Bondz N’Gala was then forced into a goal line clearance as the home side went in search of an equaliser.

Stephens dived to his left to keep out another Roofe effort in the final minute, but the Bees clung on for the win and a precious three away points.

Barnet face Exeter City at The Hive next Saturday.