Barnet kicked off their pre-season campaign with a routine 3-1 victory against St Albans City at Clarence Park.

Andy Yiadom gave Barnet an early lead after converting from close range and Harry Crawford added a fortuitous second before the break.

The Saints pulled a goal back in the second period but the Bees restored their two-goal advantage and rounded off the scoring when Mauro Vilhete tapped home inside the six-yard box.

While any manager will tell you pre-season is about gaining valuable minutes on the pitch, any player wants to win no matter the circumstance.

And it took Barnet just five minutes to open the scoring. Luke Gambin eased past the opposition full-back, sent a low cross into the box and Yiadom was on hand to fire home.

The Bees slowly eased their way through the half and Mark Byrne came close to doubling the lead with two shots from outside the area.

The Saints rarely threatened throughout the opening 45 minutes and their best chance fell to John Frendo, however, he sliced his shot wide.

Yiadom then shot over from distance before the Bees added a second goal. Byrne received a pass from Gambin and curled a strike towards goal. The ball struck Crawford on route and nestled in the corner.

The rest of the half was uneventful but defender Anthony Acheampong looked composed in his first Barnet appearance.

The Bees made just the one change at the break with Jon Nurse replaced by Vilhete.

After a subdued start to the second period, the Saints pulled a goal back as Ryan Ash collected a pass, turned a fired past Graham Stack.

Barnet made several changes throughout the half. Curtis Weston was replaced by Edgar Davids, George Sykes came on in place of Dominic Vose and Iffy Allen was introduced for Gambin.

The switches had the desired effect as the Bees found the net for a third time as a Yiadom cross was only pushed to Vilhete and he tapped home.

Crawford then fired just wide before David Stephens had a goal ruled out for a foul.

Allen came close to adding a fourth in stunning fashion but his curled shot from distance was well saved by the Saints stopper.

Sykes, another of the Bees Academy graduates, then came close with a low strike that was pushed just wide of the post.

Crawford was denied a second goal late on as the Saints goalkeeper produced another impressive stop.

It proved to be the final chance of a game which the Bees controlled for large periods. They could have scored more but some good goalkeeping restricted Davids' side to just three. 

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, Stephens, Acheampong (Brown70), Johnson; Byrne, Weston (Davids 52), Vose (Sykes 63); Nurse (Vilhete 45), Gambin (Allen 67), Crawford.

Barnet substitutes: Vilhete, Allen, Brown, Cowler, Sykes, Davids.

St Albans: Bastock; Hall, Chappell, Martin, Locke, Wharton, Graham, Comley, Ngoyi, Frendo, O’Leary.