A late goal from Alex Nicholls helped Barnet beat Yeovil Town 1-0 to give Rossi Eames his first win as interim Bees boss.
The former Exeter City winger was introduced on the hour and, with just over five minutes remaining, arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner to extend Barnet’s unbeaten run to
eight league matches.
Eames, taking his first match since being named interim manager, handed Jack Taylor his full league debut at right-back in place of Sam Togwell who was missing through illness.
Otherwise it was the same side which beat Notts County 3-2 in Martin Allen’s final game in charge. That meant Ephron Mason-Clark continued up front alongside top scorer John Akinde.
The first half was very even and low on chances with the Glovers holding a slight advantage in terms of goalmouth action.
Winger Ryan Hedges had the outstanding chance of the first half, skipping forward early on and testing Jamie Stephens with a fizzing drive from just outside the penalty area.
Otis Khan brought a smart stop out of Stephens at the near post in the eighth minute but the Bees’ number one was not stretched after that point. That marked the start of an epic duel between the two players.
Mason-Clark, on just his second EFL League Two start, looked lively and caused problems for Darren Way’s men on more than one occasion.
As did Taylor, who showed no little commitment to getting forward to support Mauro Vilhete.
Barnet’s best chance of the half came when a raking ball over the top released Akinde. He advanced towards the Yeovil goal but keeper Artur Krysiak timed a sliding challenge to perfection to half Akinde.
The second half was a similarly slow burner, although Yeovil had two good opportunities to break the deadlock before the hour.
First Alex Lacey saw his deflected effort pushed wide by Stephens before Tom Eaves rattled the Barnet crossbar with a header.
Yeovil went closer still in the 62nd minute. Hedges miscued a shot from the edge of the box horribly but the ball fell for Khan on the far side and only a deflection kept his strike out of the bottom corner.
The hosts were again left ruing their luck with 19 minutes remaining. Eaves knocked down for Khan who crashed a volley against the crossbar with Stephens left grasping at thin air.
Chances were few and far between for the Bees. On one of the rare occasions Akinde escaped the close attention of the Yeovil backline he could not steer the ball beyond Krysiak who rushed off his line to smother.
With little over five minutes remaining Barnet struck.
Curtis Weston fed substitute Nicholls and he slammed low across the goal into the far corner to give the Bees the lead.
There was still work to be done to preserve the lead and, just before four minutes were added on, Stephens came up with his best save of all to deny Khan as he burst through one-v-one.
Next up for the Bees in a visit from local rivals Stevenage on Saturday, December 17 (kick-off 3pm).
Barnet: Stephens; J. Taylor, Nelson (c), Dembele, Johnson; Vilhete, Weston, Champion (Nicholls 60), Gambin (Muggleton 82); Mason-Clark (Akpa Akpro 66), Akinde.
Subs: Vickers (GK), Watson, Sesay, Kyei.
Yeovil Town: Krysiak; Shephard, Lacey, Smith, Dickson (c); Whitfield (Zoko 69), Lawless, Dawson, Hedges; Eaves, Khan.
Subs: Maddison (GK), Mugabi, Ezewele, Butcher, Campbell, Sowunmi.
Referee: Kevin Johnson.
Attendance: 3,254 (147 Barnet fans).
