A game of two halves is an overused cliché in football but succinctly describes Barnet’s 3-0 defeat against Bradford City.

For the majority of the first half the Bees were the better side despite not really threatening the Bantams’ goal.

In the second period, Bradford scored three times in ten minutes to kill the game off. James Hanson netted less than a minute after the interval and that was quickly followed by an Alan Connell strike.

City then added a third two minutes later as Andrew Davies scored a header which effectively ended the game as a competitive fixture.

Mark Robson included new signing Krystian Pearce in his starting XI and there were full debuts for John Oster and Jamal Lowe.

The home side began the contest brightly but the centre-back paring of Pearce and David Stephens acquitted themselves well.

However, Barnet then presented Bradford with a great opportunity to open the scoring.

After a Bantams attack broke down, Graham Stack cleared up pitch with Connell pressurising the keeper. The ball fell to Oster in midfield; he decided to pass back to Stack but hadn’t noticed Connell.

The striker controlled the pass and was through on goal. Fortunately for Barnet, Stack saved his effort and the Bees cleared.

After the early Bradford pressure, Barnet settled into the contest and began to maintain possession. Oster linked the Bees defence and midfield while Clovis Kamdjo protected the back four well.

The only disappointment is the Bees didn’t create real chances to test Bradford’s keeper Jon McLaughlin.

Ricky Holmes again provided the Bees main threat and in the closing stages of the opening period he was cynically brought down by Luke Oliver who received a booking. From the resulting free-kick, Oliver headed narrowly over his own crossbar.

Jon Nurse sent an effort over late on and Barnet would’ve been slightly disappointed not to go in ahead at the interval.

Less than one minute into the restart, The Bees were behind. A free-kick was swung into the box, Oliver rose and diverted the ball into the six-yard box and Hanson headed home.

Six minutes later and Bradford doubled their lead. Kyel Reid was given too much time to pick out a cross. Stack managed to push away the delivery but only into the path of Connell who finished.

Two minutes after getting their second, the Bantams scored their third. A long pass from Gary Jones found Davies and he looped his header over Stack from a narrow angle.

Despite more than half an hour left on the clock, the game was effectively over.

Bradford did continue to create chances. Nathan Doyle had a shot saved and Hanson headed over the crossbar.

The Bantams coasted home with the Bees still struggling to threaten their goal and Robson has plenty of work to do before Tuesday’s trip to Aldershot.

Bradford City: McLaughlin; Meredith, Davies, Oliver, McArdle; Reid (Thompson 81), Jones, Doyle (Atkinson 81), Hines; Hanson, Connell (Wells 70).

Bradford City substitutes: Duke, Darby, Ravehill, Thompson, Atkinson, McHugh, Wells.

Barnet: Stack; Fuller, Pearce, Stephens, Brown; Kamdjo, Weston, Oster (Gambin 65); Holmes, Lowe (Edgar 76), Nurse.

Barnet substitutes: O’Brien, Fortune, Saville, Lee, Gambin, Abdulla, Edgar.

Attendance: 9,566 (70).