Barnet Football Club sealed a 1-0 win over Alfreton Town at The Hive to end a run of three successive defeats.
Dani Lopez, whose loan spell with the Bees is set to expire next week, got the only goal of the match with 40 minutes played when he crashed the ball in via the crossbar from 25-yards.
Jake Hyde and Mark Byrne both went close in the second-half but their efforts were just wide of the target however it didn’t matter as the Bees secured their first three points of 2014.
Edgar Davids’ made two changes to the team who lost 2-1 to Luton Town on New Year’s Day with Keiron Cadogan and Nick Jupp replacing injured duo Graham Stack (calf) and Keanu Marsh-Brown (knee).
Despite missing their captain and top goalscorer they created the first chance of the match with just three minutes played when Luisma Villa’s powerful free-kick dipped just wide.
After a fractious start to the match things turned very dull very quickly as the away side put eleven men behind the ball to make it incredibly hard for the Bees.
On 23 minutes this changed as Alfreton forward John Akinde powered his way into the box where Jupp was alert to clear.
This caused the Reds to grow in confidence and the game became more open as a result with Lopez’s shot being blocked before an away counter came to nothing.
With 40 minutes on the clock the breakthrough came as Alfreton allowed Lopez the time and space to smash a 25-yard effort into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
The away side responded well forcing a corner of their own but it was easily cleared by Villa and the half ended Barnet 1 Alfreton Town 0.
Barnet began the second-half at pace and they almost crafted the perfect opening for Hyde just two minutes after the restart but Villa’s through ball was too heavy for the striker.
Three minutes later more free-flowing football created more holes in the away defence but Byrne’s shot from just outside the box was held by Jon Worsnop.
With 58 minutes played the perfect chance to make it 2-0 came and went as Hyde went through on goal and clipped the ball over the keeper but rolled it agonisingly wide.
Chances continued to come for the Bees with Byrne shooting wide before Andy Yiadom jinxed his way into the box and had a shot blocked behind for a corner kick.
Kieron Cadogan might have sealed the win in the 89th minute but the winger’s low shot was superbly saved by Worsnop who somehow got a hand to it.
Five minutes were added on at the end but the Bees remained composed to secure their first win of 2014.
Barnet FC: Jupp; Stephens, Saville, Yiadom, Johnson; Weston, Byrne, Villa (Abdulla 90); Cadogan (Vilhete 90), Lopez (Crawford 83), Hyde.
Subs: Barnes, Acheampong.
Alfreton Town: Worsnop, Wood, Rowe-Turner, Poku, Wylde (Wishart 56), Kempson, Westwood, Akinde, Bradley (Law 65), Meadows (Shaw 59), Franklin.
Subs: Fenton, McFadzean.
Attendance:1,400
