FULL TIME: Barnet 3 Chester City 1 . . .

Barnet eased fears of relegation with a convincing performance at Underhill this afternoon.

All the goals came in a one-sided second half.

Cliff Akurang struck his second brace of the month, after Albert Adomah had set the Bees on the way.

After some disappointing performances of late, this was just what the Barnet fans had demanded, the hosts fully deserving the win against a poor Chester outfit.

The home team made a number of changes from the side that lost at Grimsby on Tuesday. Loan signing Jordan Parkes came in for his debut at right-back, with Joe Devera moving to the centre of defence in place of Sagi Burton. Nicky Nicolau moved into midfield, while there was a rare start for Anthony Thomas, who came in up front for Giuliano Grazioli.

Thomas should have done better with the first opening of the game, but the striker chose to shoot when Akurang was better placed in the box, and the ball almost finished out of the ground.

Thomas was then set up by Akurang, but this time he sliced his effort across goal and wide.

At least it was a lively start from the Bees.

On ten minutes, Akurang tried his luck from a tight angle, but his shot was wide of the far post.

Chester's first effort came in the 18th minute, Laurence Wilson testing Lee Harrison with a long-range drive, the Barnet keeper doing well to turn the ball round the post.

The game entered a quiet period, with neither side able to stamp their authority, though Thomas did hit a curling shot on the turn from distance, but, unfortunately for him, it was too central and an easy save for keeper John Danby.

Adomah also produced a typical run into the box, before firing well wide, the finish not matching the run.

Thomas did have the ball in the net on 33 minutes, but the flag was already up, not for the first time.

Barnet were doing most of the foraging, though clear-cut chances were at a premium.

With seven minutes of the half to go, a Nicolau cross was cleared to Kenny Gillet, but his well-struck shot deflected just wide. Akurang then made a mess of a bicycle kick from the resulting corner.

There was not much wrong with the home side's first-half performance, other than a finsh to match some good approach play, though that has been the story of recent weeks.

And they almost paid for it in the closing stages, Harrison brilliantly turning over a dipping Paul Rutherford volley in what was the best effort of the opening 45 minutes.

The Bees had the first chance of the second half, a Josh Wright free-kick well taken by the keeper.

On 50 minutes, Adomah latched on to a loose back pass from Tony Dinning; rounded Danby and stroked the ball into the empty net for the opening goal.

Harrison did well to push out a Mark Hughes shot at the other end soon after, while Akurang then burst down the left before seeing his shot across goal deflected just wide. From the corner, Akurang headed straight into Danby's arms.

It was a cracking start to the second period, the game at last sparking into life.

Adomah was causing the Chester defence a lot of problems, the goal having given the winger a big confidence boost.

Midway through the half, Akurang latched on to a long Harrison clearance that was misjudged by a defender. As he tried to round the keeper, he was brought down and the referee pointed to the spot.

Akurang stepped up and drove the penalty straight down the middle.

Barnet were now cruising and Nicolau drove over with his right foot after making room for himself just inside the box.

Akurang then headed over from a Wright corner, Chester now on the ropes.

With ten minutes to go, Thomas crossed for Akurang to head the ball home off the upright. The striker was totally unmarked.

Thomas then came close with a shot that flashed across the six-yard box, as the striker also looked to get in on the act.

There were calls for another penalty late on when Kieron St Aimie looked to be tripped in the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Akurang had a chance to complete his hat-trick in the final minute, but shot over from a good position.

The referee added six minutes of stoppage time and that gave Hughes the chance to nod home a consolation after Kevin Ellison's driven shot had been cleared invitingly into his path.

BARNET (4-4-2): Harrison; Parkes, Devera, Yakubu, Gillet (Carew 84); Adomah (St Aimie 83), Bishop, Wright (Leary 87), Nicolau; Thomas, Akurang. Subs not used: Porter, Grazioli.

Attendance: 1,663.