The Bees are back on top after a four goal first half show reports Nick Sandamas

Barnet went back to the top of the table following a comfortable win over National League bottom side Ebbsfeet as the race for the one automatic promotion place to the EFL gathers pace.

The match on Saturday was preceded by a minute’s applause to remember academy player Kaylen Dennis who sadly passed away a few days ago aged just 15.

The Bees then put on a show worthy of remembering young Kaylen with a first half show of skill, pressing and four goals to virtually wrap up the three points by half time.

It took just ten minutes for the opener to arrive – and it came from Nicke Kabamba who planted a header into the net following a pinpoint cross into his path from Danny Collinge.

Eight minutes later and the lead was doubled when, after a shot was blocked, the ball came out to Mark Shelton on the edge of the area and he fired a stunning volley over the defence and keeper Mark Cousins (a contender for goal of the season).

Ryan Glover had a good chance minutes later to add a third but his curling effort flew just wide of the far post.

However the Bees didn’t have to wait long for that third goal and it came off the boot of Rhys Browne on 27 minutes – he turned and fired home into the roof of the net after a passing move which involved 20 passes.

Just five minutes later, goal number four arrived and it was Glover with a low shot past Cousins – Collinge was again the provider with a nippy pass across the six-yard area to the number 15.

Cousins then prevented Shelton from adding a fifth soon after when he pushed a free kick away from goal.

The Fleet had their first sight on goal just before the interval but Callum Harriott fired wildly over.

In the second half, the Bees kept motoring forward in search of more goals but Cousins denied Taveres’ close range shot then palmed away Anthony Hartigan’s free kick all before the hour mark whilst a few other chances were off target.

However some sloppy play from Bees keeper Nick Hayes on 83 minutes presented the Fleet with their one and only chance on goal which they duly took.

The keeper totally missed the ball when trying to clear and this gave Dominic Poleon the chance to roll the ball into the net to give his team and the supporters something to take back home to Kent, probably the only blot in an otherwise complete Bees performance.

Callum Stead had two great chances to increase the scoreline late on but Cousins was on top form to deny the sub on both occasions.

With Tamworth scoring a late goal to prevent York from winning, it meant the Bees jumped above the Minstermen into top spot as this topsy-turvey title race took another swing.

Home comforts again await the Bees next Saturday with play-off chasers FC Halifax in town. Revenge will be on the Bees’ mind following their loss in the reverse fixture.

Team: Hayes, Collinge, Oluwo, Taveres (Coker 70), Kenlock, Glover (Kanu 70), Hartigan (Clifford 76), Shelton, Browne (Stead 70) Kabamba, Brunt (Cropper 76)

Subs not used: Bellagambi, Grimwood 

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