If Barnet were deserving of a convincing victory on Saturday against Lincoln City they crumbled to defeat at the hands of Macclesfield Town at the Moss Rose.
Neal Bishop took the place of Max Porter in central midfield in an otherwise unchanged line up.
The home side started hesitantly and their policy of playing the ball high and long was not bearing fruit. They were conceding possession and their fans were getting restless. In this period Barnet created their best chance when a Jordan Parkes cross from the right fell to Adam Birchall who although slightly unbalanced got a shot on target, but the connection was not good enough to test the Macc keepr Jonathon Brain.
In the left back position Kenny Gillet was adjudged to have committed a foul, a decision that could have gone either way, and from the resulting kick the Silkmen took the lead.
In the 31st minute Neil Ashton took a good in swinging free kick and waiting in the centre of the goal was the unmarked Danny Thomas to head past Lee Harrison.
Ten minutes later Macc were two up when from a similar position Ashton's free kick was missed by defenders and attackers alike and found its way in the net. The delivery was good, but from a defensive point of view it will be disappointing to have conceded in this manner.
The Silkmen left the pitch to great applause from their fans as they could sense that a victory was within their capabilities that would ease any relegation anxieties.
Jason Puncheon started the second half but any hopes of a come back were dashed in the 3rd minute of the second period when Francis Green made the most of a defensive lapse, took the ball goalwards and rifled a shot past Harrison.
Adomah, who had been cautioned for a marginally mistimed tackle and was making little headway in the game, was replaced by Ashley Carew soon after the Macc's third goal.
For periods the second half was played in driving snow, but with the destination of the points almost certain by this stage both sides rarely troubled the goalkeepers.
"Out fought and out thought in every department", was the damming verdict post match by Paul Fairclough, and it would prove difficult to find anyone, from either side, who would wish to counter this view.
It is a mystery how a side can play comprehensively so well in one match and look abject the next. There were many features of this game that resembled the away defeat at Grimsby earlier this month. In both matches once the Bees were behind they did not really look like getting back into the game.
Paul Fairclough insisted that he now has four days to prepare the team for the challenge of Wrexham, to get the players focussed on the task ahead. After the defeat at Grimsby the Bees regrouped, refocused and managed to record back to back victories at Underhill against Chester and Lincoln.
With home matches this Saturday and the following Tuesday against Wrexham and Darlington respectively it can only be hoped that a repeat performance is in the offing.
David Bloomfield
