Despite some early troubles, manager Dean Brennan was proud of his Barnet side’s resilience as they beat National League rivals York City 2-0 at the Hive on Saturday.

A pair of excellent finishes either side of the break from talisman Callum Stead put Brennan’s men in a commanding position going into the latter stages of the match, eventually securing all three points.

“They made it difficult for us. We knew they’d sit in,” Brennan told the club website.

“The way Ards (Neil Ardley) has set them up since he got there - he’s got them fitter, stronger, and more organised than when we first played them.

“The first goal was crucial. We knew if they got it, it would be a difficult day. They did that against Gateshead, playing a similar way on New Year's Day, and they managed to get a goal early, which allowed them to sit in and play on the counter.

"They’ve got power and pace on their frontline, but from our point of view, we’ve shown the strength in depth of our squad.”

On matchwinner Stead, Brennan gave a brief but honest assessment of his performance, indicating that his plan for the midfielder had worked perfectly.

“He could have had a hat-trick!" he added.

"He came in and did exactly what we wanted him to do. He penetrated in that midfield area high up the pitch, and he could have had a few goals.

“He makes good runs. He’s honest as a day’s worth and he’s a solid finisher. He’s just got to keep working on that, and we’ve got to help him with that.

"I thought it was a brilliant performance from him and he’s the matchwinner, so he deserves all the plaudits.”

Another clean sheet at home means the Bees now sit in second place above Bromley, level on points and goal difference, and Brennan was keen to give his players their flowers for an excellent defensive performance.

“I’m delighted. We nearly gave one up at the end there, but all in all, it was very limited and very few chances,” said Brennan.

“I felt our performance deserved a bigger scoreline. I’m just delighted with the victory, and clean sheets are what get you promoted, so that’s the key. It’s what brings you success, in my opinion, and we fully deserve it today.”

The Bees now host leaders Chesterfield at The Hive on Tuesday in a top-of-the table clash before heading to Hartlepool on Saturday in an attempt to put some further distance between themselves and Bromley.