Barnet 4, York City 0

Chris Brass's men have now played four of the top six sides in non-League football's highest division and been convincingly beaten on every occasion, conceding 13 goals and failing to find the net once in the process.

City's current injury problems - intensified on Saturday when Paul Robinson and Gary Pearson joined the walking wounded - did not help the visitors' cause at Underhill but Barnet were also missing their first choice strikeforce and the final outcome might have been even more frightening had 11-goal hitman Guiliano Grazioli been declared fit for the Bees.

Brass used six teenagers against the Conference leaders and, for long periods, there was a men against boys feel to the game.

But for the brilliance of 19-year-old goalkeeper David Stockdale the margin of defeat would have been even greater.

Bryan Stewart was easily shackled by the assured and experienced Ian Hendon all afternoon on the left wing and, with Paul Groves and Darren Dunning creating little from the middle of the park, the onus to provide chances fell heavily on Matthew Coad's young shoulders on the opposite flank.

Playing out of position in his first senior start, Coad started brightly but faded in the second half.

When he was replaced City trailed by three goals but, fortunately, Stockdale still appeared intent on damage limitation when many in front of him had all but surrendered.

The Minstermen started quite brightly with Pearson driving narrowly wide from 30 yards before Coad and Stewart both stung Bees' keeper Scott Tynan's hands from long distance.

Pearson, however, survived strong penalty appeals on 14 minutes when he brushed with Lee Roache in the box after the striker had teased him with his trickery.

Flustered referee Robert Shoebridge not only waved away the Barnet protests but puzzlingly awarded a goal-kick after Sean Davies clearly booted the ball out of play.

Barnet only had to wait another two minutes, however, to take the lead.

Left-winger Richard Graham ghosted past Pearson and his cross to the far post was met by Nicky, Bailey whose header appeared to be bouncing wide but Brass put through his own net in an attempt to clear the danger.

Dwane Lee doubled the home side's lead when Davies headed away a cross from the right but only as far as Lee who, from 20 yards, hit a volley that crashed in off the underside of the bar.

City, having been forced to contend with the Underhill slope in the first half, had the proverbial mountain to climb after the break.

They did intitially fare better going downhill with Lev Yalcin - an 18th-minute replacement for Robinson - cutting inside Ismail Yakubu before firing just wide from 15 yards. He then shot over from the edge of the box.

At the other end, Roache somehow headed over from three yards and, shortly afterwards, Pearson's wild shot threatened the corner flag more than it did the back of Barnet's net and Andy Bishop's 25-yard lob sailed harmlessly over Tynan's bar.

Barnet added a third on 65 minutes when Coad was harshly penalised and, from the resulting inswinging Graham free-kick, Strevens rose unchallenged to force a brilliant point-blank save from Stockdale and Yakubu was on hand to force the rebound over the line.

Dave Merris' goal-line clearance prevented Lee's 67th-minute header from adding to the lead but City could have pulled a goal back moments later when Yalcin's excellent right-wing cross somehow eluded an unmarked Bishop and Stewart then wastefully drilled into the sidenetting.

Barnet scored a fourth when Pearson allowed Hendon's pass to travel under his foot and Dean Sinclair raced clear before rounding Stockdale and rolling the ball into an empty net.

Yalcin still looked City's best bet for a consolation but chances continued to flow at the other end as Stockdale showed terrific reflexes to keep out sub Warren McBean's close-range header and then denied the young striker again after he had left the City defence floundering.

The visitors' miserable afternoon was completed on 90 minutes when, after winning their first corner of the match, Dunning fell over as he prepared to take the flag kick.

Match facts:

Nationwide Conference

Saturday, October 23, 2004

at Underhill

Barnet 4, York City 0

(Bailey 16, Lee 36, Yakubu 65, Sinclair 74)

City ratings:

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Stockdale 8

Brass 4

Pearson 4 (Smith 78)

Davies 5

Merris 6

Coad 5 (Haw 73m)

Dunning 5

Groves 4

Stewart 4

Robinson (Yalcin 19m 5)

Bishop 5

Barnet: Tynan, Hendon, Yakubu, King, Clist, Bailey, Sinclair (Batt, 79), Lee (Lopez, 82), Graham, Roache (McBean, 76), Strevens. Subs not used: Millard, Maddix.

Yellow cards: Dunning 64.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Robert Shoebridge (Derbyshire.) Rating: Made several mistakes and questionable decisions.

Attendance: 2,501.

Weather watch: Driving rain throughout and breezy.

Game breaker: The confidence seemed to drain from City as soon as Barnet opened the scoring.

Match rating: Comfortable win for Barnet. City looked like a side incapable of competing with the Conference's best teams.

Player watch: Sean Davies

Shots on target: 0 Goals: 0

Shots off target: 0

Blocked shots: 0

Passes to own player: 11

Passes to opposition: 2

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 0

Pass completion rate: 84.6per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 0 Dribbles ball lost: 1

Dribble success rate: 0 per cent

Headers: 10 Tackles: 4 Offsides: 0

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 13

Free kicks won: 3 Free kicks conceded: 1 Bookings: 0

Final summary: appeared more hesitant and nervous than in his last two appearances. Generally safe in possession, but Barnet's quick strikers often troubled the 19-year-old.

Updated: 09:46 Monday, October 25, 2004