League leaders Barnet showed their quality on Tuesday night as Dean Brennan’s side dismissed Pools with two second half goals.

The hosts, unbeaten at The Hive all season, walked into Tuesday night having not lost on their home turf to Pools since March 2016.

Lennie Lawrence made a host of changes to his starting line-up with Billy Sass-Davies, Greg Sloggett, Jack Hunter and Reyes Cleary all called upon.

Pools absorbed great pressure early on, with Adam Smith stopping Danny Collinge’s header while Ryan Glover curled an effort past the post.

Lawrence’s side carved out an opening on 24 minutes, when Reyes Cleary forced a save at the front post before Jack Hunter drove a strike wide.

But soon enough, the Bees were back on the front foot.

Former Pools midfielder Mark Shelton hit the foot of the post, while Myles Kenlock swung a shot over the bar.

Lee Ndlovu then shot straight at Smith from point-blank range, before the Pools keeper was once again in action by tipping Zak Brunt’s strike onto the crossbar.

The opener came six minutes into the second half and it came in Barnet’s favour.

A cross from the right was nodded onto Glover at the back post, who made no mistake in firing home at close-range.

A second nearly arrived in the 59th minute, when Callum Stead’s header was clawed away by Smith.

That goal eventually came a minute later, though, as a corner from the right was flicked through a crowd of bodies and into the far corner by Ndlovu.

Pools responded with a host of changes, but only one goalscoring chance followed when Sam Folarin played in Mani Dieseruvwe, though Collinge showed great defending to clear the danger.

With a 2-0 defeat in the capital, Pools must go again on Saturday with another long trip to Braintree Town.

Pools: Smith, Dodds, Sass-Davies, Parkes, Ferguson, Hunter (Madine 76), Sheron (Featherstone 73), Sloggett (Campbell 58), Charman, Cleary (Folarin 63), Dieseruvwe

Subs (not used): Young, Waterfall, Darcy