Barnet finally returned to action following an enforced winter break but showed no signs of rustiness as they beat Dagenham & Redbridge 2-0 to claim just their second away league win this season.

The Bees’ last win away from The Hive came at Oxford United in October. Six games have followed prior to today with Martin Allen’s men picking up two points from a possible 18.

An individual goal by Luke Gambin and a simple tap-in by Michael Nelson secured the points for the Bees, but in the opening exchanges both sides looked capable of creating opportunities for themselves.

In the second minute a John Akinde through ball would have set free his strike partner Shaun Batt if not for a handball offence by Joe Worrall, for which he duly received a caution.

Akinde then nearly gave the visitors a lead in the fifth minute but his header lacked power and the ball was pushed aside by the Daggers’ keeper Mark Cousins.

The prolific Jamie Cureton would then poke the ball wide when well placed as both sides adopted an attacking approach.

Daggers’ skipper Joss Labadie had an effort that went narrowly wide after the Bees’ rear-guard failed to deal with a backpass.

A shot, after a neat turn by Akinde, went just wide of the target from close range with Batt then denied by Cousins as Barnet began to dominate midway through the first-half.

The breakthrough came in the 24th minute when a delicate chip from Elliott Johnson out on the left found Gambin inside the Daggers’ box. The winger turned this way and that, bemusing a number defenders before rifling the ball low into the net. A gem of a goal.

The home side immediately tried to level and a Cureton effort was acrobatically dealt with by the impressive Jamie Stephens.

This was a crucial save at a vital stage in the game; with the home side not coming this close to scoring again.

The Daggers set about their task of finding an equaliser at the start of the second-half but centre-backs Bondz N’Gala and especially Nelson were enjoying repelling anything that came their way.

After a stumble by N’Gala Oliver Hawkins could have done better for the home side but his effort went a considerable distance over the bar.

Daggers boss John Still introduced talented wide player Jodi Jones with just over half an hour remaining and he flickered briefly into life. But, after one mazy run, he too began to cut a forlorn figure.

In the 70th minute the Bees scored their second which reflected their superiority and also put paid to Dagenham’s fading hopes of preventing their fifth consecutive home defeat.

Chris Hackett cut in from the right and, after briefly looking up, he picked out Nelson lurking at the far-post to neatly side-foot past the floundering Cousins.

Barnet had a number of chances to extend their lead even further with Curtis Weston, Akinde and Tom Champion all spurning good opportunities.

The later stages saw Barnet play out the game at their own pace with Allen giving a league debut to forward Fumnaya Shomotun who was quick to display his speed and trickery on the ball.

New signing James Pearson was also given a debut as a second-half substitute and he looked at home as an attacking full-back with a long throw in his locker.

The Bees have now recorded four consecutive clean sheets and the attention given to securing up the defence since the 3-0 reversal at Northampton Town in early January is clearly paying dividends.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Cousins; Hoyte, Worrall, Hyam, Widdowson; Raymond, Boucaud (Chambers 64), Muldoon (Jones 56), Labadie; Cureton (Doidge 71), Hawkins.

Subs: O'Brien (GK), Connors, Dikamona, McClure.

Barnet: Stephens; Sesay (Pearson 64), N'Gala, Nelson, Johnson; Hackett (Shomotun 84), Weston, Togwell, Gambin; Akinde, Batt (Champion 57).

Subs: McKenzie-Lyle (GK), Muggleton, Stevens, Randall.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Attendance: 1,728 (400 away supporters).