Hartlepool United 0 Barnet 1 . . .

Barry Cogan stole all three points for Barnet with a wonder goal six minutes from normal time.

His thunderbolt came out of the blue and after Hartlepool had squandered a whole host of chances.

Nicky Bailey won a tackle in midfield and set Cogan off. The unlikely matchwinner ran at the home defence in a central position and cracked a 25-yard shot into the corner.

It was the classic sucker punch.

Hartlepool will wonder how they never had this game wrapped up long before.

Barnet keeper Lee Harrison pulled off some superb saves, none better than deep into injury time when he spectacularly tipped over a Gary Liddle free-kick.

The Bees had offered a little more in the second half but the hosts still did most of the pressing and you thought it would only be a matter of time before Pool scored.

But the Barnet defence worked their socks off and, with the help of Harrison and some poor finishing, managed to keep the home side out.

Hartlepool were in full control in the opening 45 minutes, but could not find a way through. Darryl Duffy did find the net on 12 minutes, but his header from a Ritchie Humphreys cross was ruled out for offside.

Harrison then instinctively deflected a Jon Daly snapshot on to the bar and over before again denying Liddle from a free-kick just before the break.

The pressure continued into the second half.

David Foley headed over from six yards, while Harrison pulled off a superb block to keep out a Michael Nelson bullet header.

Barnet at last began to create something at the other end, and Cogan was unlucky to see a drive just clear the bar.

Nelson then saw a looping header bounce off the crossbar before Nicky Nicolau hit a 25-yard effort that skimmed just past the post for the Bees.

Despite Barnet coming more into the game, Hartlepool still looked the likelier to find a winner.

But Cogan had other ideas and his cracking strike made it two consecutive wins for the Bees.

BARNET (4-5-1): Harrison; Devera, Yakubu, King, Nicolau; Cogan, Sinclair, Hessenthaler, Bailey, Puncheon; Warhurst. Subs not used: Flitney, Gross, Charles, Graham, Vieira.

Attendance: 3,778.

Best Bee: Lee Harrison.