At half-time with Barnet leading 2-0 even a home fan was not optimistic – ‘this will finish 2-2’ he said and the majority of the crowd would have probably agreed with him.

After all, Stanley had the downhill advantage after the break, they had created countless chances, the Bees had looked suspect defensively and the Reds have a decent record at Underhill, a ground they seem to favour.

But the fan needed to have more faith in his Bees side who somehow kept their advantage to secure a valuable three points in their battle against the drop.

And instead of Stanley moving eight points clear of the bottom two, the defeat dragged them right into the relegation fight, extending their league run to 16 games without an away win.

Stanley’s luck in front of goal was summed up when Sean Hessey’s thunderous free kick crashed against the crossbar in injury time as John Coleman's side had a day to forget in front of goal.

Barnet had just three chances – former MK¿Dons frontman Izale McLeod showed clinical finishing to score two and had a third tipped away by Ian Dunbavin.

And Coleman was bewildered after the game as his side slipped to within two points of the second-bottom Bees.

He said: "We were head and shoulders the best team on the pitch but I have said it before and it probably won’t be the last time I say it, you don’t win games on opinions.

"Their manager might think differently – he might think they were the better team. It’s only my opinion. What counts is that they scored two and we didn’t.

"We had five chances where we only had the keeper to beat and we didn’t hit the target.

"Once is forgiveable, maybe two is forgiveable but not five.

"They have had three chances and hit the target with those three chances – our keeper has made a great save and they have scored two goals.

"I think even the most biased Barnet fan would admit they were flattered by the win but that’s football.

"I have never been involved in a game where we have been so dominant and not won."

As a striker Coleman was sick that the finishing of free summer signing McLeod proved the difference while his side struggled to trouble Bees stopper Jake Cole, despite their plentiful possession.

McLeod cost Charlton £100,000 from MK Dons three years ago but has struggled form-wise and with a knee injury and hasn’t played that much. He was making his first start of the season on Saturday, but he didn’t look short of shooting practice – if anything it was the Reds who were goal-shy.

His first came on 12 minutes when George Francomb threaded the ball perfectly through the Reds defence for McLeod to slot home at the near post.

The second came when Jimmy Ryan lost the ball on the edge of his own box from a Stanley corner, McLeod charged forward and he got the better of Dean Winnard and again finished well.

That goal came on the stroke of half-time and Bees boss Mark Stimson probably couldn’t believe his luck that his side were two clear.

Stanley had countless chances but Cole wasn’t unduly troubled. Terry Gornell beat the off-side trap but fired across the goal and wide while loanee Joe Jacobson’s effort was parried by Cole in a first half the Reds controlled.

Barnet were throwing their bodies in front of shots and it must have been more through luck than good care that nothing went Stanley’s way.

The Reds’ set-pieces were poor but Stanley were still creating enough, a move involving Jacobson and Craney was pleasing on the eye but Andy Procter’s finish was again off-target.

And so half-time came and, with the slope at Underhill and Stanley having the advantage, surely they could turn possession into goals.

But instead it was same again as they rarely threatened Cole and, but for a Dunbavin save from McLeod, Barnet could, amazingly, have been 3-0 up.

Too often the Reds broke but, unlike Barnet, couldn’t capitalise on their superior numbers and allowed the home defence to get back. Gornell turned in the area but Cole got a touch and then, there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing before the Reds’ best chances of the half came in the final 10 minutes.

Craney, looking for a dream debut, fired narrowly wide on 81 minutes while, a minute later, after the Reds had gone 4-4-2 with Rory¿Boulding up front it looked like he would finally make the net bulge when he had Cole beaten but his effort again failed to hit the target.

Gornell’s chip was off the mark and then Hessey hit the woodwork – an all-round bad day.

Barnet’s finishing would have given them a bumper Christmas party planned for that night – for the Reds it was another long trip back on the coach.