York City failed to take the sting out of Barnet as the Bees secured a 4-2 victory at the LNER Community Stadium.

After the highs of York’s 98th minute winner at Woking on Saturday, City were unable to claim back-to-back victories for the first time this season despite leading against an in-form Barnet outfit.

Dipo Akinyemi had put the Minstermen ahead after latching onto a pinpoint pass from Aiden Marsh, chipping the ball over Laurie Walker to hand City an early lead.

Barnet equalised almost immediately, with Harry Pritchard finding space on the edge of the area and coolly directing the ball into the top right corner.

City fell behind for the first time of the evening after the hour mark, after Idris Kanu capitalised on some poor defending before scuffing an effort past a helpless Ryan Whitley.

And the Bees added a third after defender Reece Hall-Johnson found himself unmarked at the back post, and rose highest to loop the ball over Whitley.

But the match was settled with a fourth for Barnet, as Zak Brunt found himself unmarked in the box and met a teasing cross, glancing a header into Whitley’s far post and sealing a deserved three points for the visitors.

Akinyemi did grab a brace for this evening and added to his tally for the campaign, but it would only prove a consolation after a composed finish beyond Walker in stoppage time.

Defeat on the evening sees the Minstermen drop to 20th in the Vanarama National League after 12 matches.

Ardley opted to make three changes from his York side that narrowly defeated Woking on Saturday afternoon, with the City boss handing first starts to debutant Will Smith and Aiden Marsh.  

Thierry Latty-Fairweather was also reinstated into the starting eleven for Adam Crookes, who is currently struggling with a groin injury.

The squad was surprisingly without Lenell John-Lewis, who is presumed to be recovering with so many games in so few days, whilst Olly Dyson and Kai Kennedy returned to the bench after recovering from illness, as well as assistant manager Neil Cox.

Callum Harriott was also a welcome face back on the pitch having not played since the Aldershot Town fixture in mid-August.

Early pressure from both sides suggested it was going to be an end-to-end contest at the LNER Community Stadium, at least in the first half, but that fizzled out towards the break.

York were on the front foot early on, winning a corner in the opening 60 seconds, but did have to bravely block three consecutive strikes from Barnet’s attack.

And the York strikers thanked their defenders in perfect fashion, with Akinyemi and Marsh linking up to hand the Minstermen the lead.

Some brilliant battling from Batty in the midfield saw the 25-year-old earn back possession and find Marsh on his first start, who split the Barnet defence with an inch-perfect pass that set Akinyemi in behind.

Akinyemi made no mistake, delicately dinking the ball over the on-rushing Walker to put City ahead.

Barnet were quick to respond, with Idris Kanu tucking the ball home from close-range, only to be denied by the assistant referee’s flag.

But City jives were short, with a legal equaliser coming just one minute later.

The York defence failed to clear the loose ball in the box, allowing midfielder Pritchard to collect possession and expertly direct the ball into the top right corner from the edge of the box.

Pritchard looked to grab an immediate brace, but watched as a similar effort was scuffed wide.

City had chances of their own to reinstate their lead, with Zanda Siziba racing down the wing and firing a low effort through a crowd of Barnet defenders, only to be thwarted by the gloves of Walker.

Akinyemi then burst down the wing after beating Danny Collinge on the left-hand side, but again watched on as his cross-shot was palmed wide by Walker.

Ryan Whitley was called into action to keep Kabamba at bay with a low stop, before Thierry Latty-Fairweather was forced into a crucial interception to deny the Bees a way through.

The referee was then involved in denying a penalty to either side, with both challenges looking soft, before bringing the first half to an end.

Heading into the second half, City looked to change formation to a 4-3-3 at the break, with Dyson replacing Siziba, but Ardley’s change of system did not work.

York faltered in the second forty-five and looked flat, with Barnet retaining possession, as Whitley made a low stop to deny Kanu from distance.

Hall-Johnson gave York a warning sign with a venomous effort that fizzed over the crossbar, but the Minstermen couldn’t keep Barnet level for much longer.

After collecting the loose ball following a challenge on Kabamba, Kanu weaved his way through three City challenges before scuffing a low effort, appearing to disillusion Whitley as it nestled into the goalkeeper’s bottom corner.

City supporters paid their respects to the recently passed Dave ‘Dickie’ Barton on the 65th minute, with his family in attendance and a seat dedicated to the loyal City fan in the stands.

York looked beat for a lot of the second half, and the deficit was made heavier when Hall-Johnson rose highest to pounce on a teasing cross and loop the ball over Whitley.

With time running out on York and a comeback looking less likely, City’s evening was dealt a fourth blow, with Barnet enjoying their array of chances.

Another fantastic cross found Brunt free in the box, with the former Sheffield United youngster positioned well to direct a glancing header into Whitley’s far post.

City did grab one back, but it was merely a consolation, with Akinyemi grabbing a brace.

The former Ayr United forward raced onto a pass from Maziar Kouhyar, before poking the ball beyond Walker to soften the scoreline for the Minstermen.

York now find themselves in 20th position on 10 points from a possible 36, as Ardley suffers his second defeat in the City hotseat.

York City: Whitley 6, Fallowfield 6, Howe 5, Smith 6, Latty-Fairweather 5, Kouhyar 6, Batty 6, Woodyard 5 (McLaughlin, 80), Siziba 6 (Dyson 5, 46), Marsh 7 (Harriott 6, 66), Akinyemi 8

Subs not used: Kennedy, Watson

Goals: Akinyemi (6, 90)

Barnet: Walker, Hall-Johnson, Collinge, Oluwo, Okimo, Hartigan, Brunt, Pritchard (Gorman, 82), Kanu, Kabamba, Stead (Armstrong, 80)

Subs: Gillmore, Barratt, Potter

Goals: Pritchard (11), Kanu (66), Hall-Johnson (68), Brunt (82)

Yellow cards: Hall-Johnson (19), Collinge (55)

York’s star man: Dipo Akinyemi. A gritty display from the forward who was a constant threat in the first half, and showed great composure on his goals.

Referee: Steven Copeland

Attendance: 4065 (163)

Shots (on target): 0 (3) | 5 (8)

Corners: 3 | 4

Offsides: 0 | 1

Fouls committed: 4 | 7