Barnet suffered their second successive defeat on Saturday after going down 2-0 to Hereford United at Edgar Street.

Paul Fairclough made three changes to the starting line-up from the one that lost against Accrington Stanley last weekend with Giuliano Grazioli, Joe Devera and Stuart Lewis starting in place of the injured Adam Birchall, suspended Barry Cogan and the rested Ian Hendon.

It was the Bees who made the brighter start to the game and they could have been ahead after just 22 seconds when Jason Puncheon's low cross from the right was collected at the feet of Grazioli by Bulls goalkeeper Wayne Brown at his near post.

A minute later and the same player, this time from the left, produced more fine wing play but again Brown was equal to the cross.

With five minutes on the clock it was still Barnet who were looking the more likely and Devera's header, again from a Puncheon cross, was well held by Brown when under pressure from King following a Bees corner routine.

Two  minutes later, though, and Barnet could have found themselves trailing when Gross' attempted clearance fell straight to Steve Guinan, but from six yards, the frontman's effort cannoned off of the crossbar and away to safety.

Hereford were by now getting more into the game and the busy Ben Smith saw his effort go wide from distance in the 13th minute, whilst debutant Danny Thomas was looking bright on the Bulls left hand side.

However, it was Barnet who were playing the better football and with 35 minutes on the clock they had their best chance of the game to date to take the lead when Grazioli found himself in on goal, but with just Brown to beat, the experienced goalkeeper blocked the striker's effort with Rose there to complete the clearance.

A minute later and Alan Connell headed wide for the home side following a fine Thomas cross for the left as Hereford again looked dangerous on the break.

Two minutes before half time and Barnet were again close to breaking the deadlock when Grazioli met a fine Lewis dink into the middle, but under pressure from Ross, the striker saw his headed effort go wide of a post.

It was Hereford who began the second half the brighter of the two sides and their early dominance paid off when they were to take the lead in the 48th minute when substitute Andrew Williams got the better of Gross on the Bees left before his low cross was met by Smith 10 yards out and the ball took big deflection off of Ismail Yakubu, wrong-footing Robert Burch in the Barnet goal with the ball finding its way into the back of the net.

Seven minutes later and Richard Graham had a good chance to equalise for the Bees, but his stabbed effort following a Puncheon cross was again well held by Brown.

Guinan then saw a header hit a post for the home-side in the 57th minute when he met a cross from Trent McClenahan, whilst in the 65th minute Hereford again wasted a good chance to seal victory when Connell stabbed wide at the back post following more fine play by the impressive Smith.

Hereford were now well on top with Barnet struggling to retain posession of the ball and Connell saw his strike from all of 25 yards flash inches wide of Burch's right hand post in the 71st minute.

Paul Warhurst, Nicky Nicolau and Oliver Allen were then introduced from the bench in place of Lewis, Gross and Puncheon as Barnet looked to get something out of the game.

With seven minutes remaining Graham saw another effort go wide following a fine run and cross by Bailey on the left, whilst a minute later Grazioli had his third chance of the game to opening the scoring for the Bees, but this time from a fine Allen through ball, the strikers dinked finish over Brown from 15 yards went inches wide of a post.

Thomas and Tim Sills then had efforts saved by Burch in the Bees goal but the later was to seal victory for the home side in the second minute of time added on when he met the ball at the back post to finish crisply past the Barnet goalkeeper to send the home fans home happy and the travelling Bees less so.

Next up for Barnet ...Swindon Town at Underhill on Tuesday. 

Attendance: 2608
Away: 116

By Jonathan Sugar