It is little wonder that Wrexham are deep in a relegation battle after the way they allowed Barnet to clinch three points at Underhill on Saturday.

Barnet ran out 3-2 winners but they were helped by poor defending on another day to forget.

The opening goal just summed up Wrexham's season.

A needless free-kick was conceded with just seconds remaining in first half-injury time and Barnet took advantage of slack marking to take the lead as Ismail Yakubu rose unchallenged to head home.

Barnet scored a second early in the second period when Wrexham failed to clear their lines before Drewe Broughton reduced the deficit with his second goal for the Reds.

That gave Wrexham hope but once again the Reds allowed Barnet to capitalise on indecisiveness in the penalty area to restore their two-goal lead.

Simon Spender netted his first goal of the season and as Wrexham pushed for

an equaliser, they were left exposed at the other end as Barnet came close on a number of occasions to adding to their tally.

If Wrexham were going to get something out of the contest, they were going to have to do something they have failed to do all season - score three times.

Wrexham battled away and never gave up, but Barnet were not going to throw away three points.

Defeat was another blow to rock bottom Wrexham's hopes of avoiding relegation.

The Reds are now eight points away from safety and have a big week ahead of them.

Wrexham face second from bottom Mansfield Town - just a point ahead - at
Field Mill tomorrow and then entertain Macclesfield Town, up to 19th place after their weekend win but still not out of trouble, on Saturday.

Both are must win games and six points will do the Reds' hopes of staying up a world of good.

Little made one change from the side held to a goal-less draw against Dagenham in the previous outing.

Striker Paul Hall was brought into the side in place of injured midfielder Danny Sonner who limped off with a recurrence of an Achilles problem in the stalemate with the Daggers.

Another midfielder, Neil Roberts, had failed to overcome a viral infection so Wrexham switched to an attacking 3-4-3 formation.

Barnet almost took the lead in the opening ten seconds. Wrexham somehow lost possession from the kick-off and Anthony Thomas' ran at goal ended with a shot saved by Gavin Ward.

Wrexham countered and Michael Proctor was onside following Hall's quickly taken free-kick but Chris Llewellyn just failed to connect with his cross, and Matty Done's shot was deflected over the bar off Broughton.

Thomas' low drive fell wide for Barnet and Albert Adomah, a threat all afternoon, evaded some weak challenges before seeing his effort blocked.

Done's 25 yard free-kick was easily saved by keeper Lee Harrison at the other end, before Barnet hit back through Yakubu whose shot was cleared off the line by Spender, while Thomas brought a fine save out of Ward.

It should have been goal-less at the break but after Llewellyn conceded a needless free-kick in his own half, Nicky Nicolau delivered for an unmarked Yakubu to head home.

And Barnet made it 2-0 just six minutes after the restart when Adomah headed down for Thomas whose over-head kick sailed beyond Ward.

Adomah was then denied by Ward, but Wrexham gave themselves hope by pulling a goal back in the 55th minute.

Gareth Evans sent in a free-kick and Broughton's looping header went in off a post.

Proctor was not far away with a 25-yard free-kick but Wrexham paid the price for more poor defending as Barnet made it 3-1 on 62 minutes.

Thomas was allowed to run unchallenged through the penalty area and he slid the ball to Nicolau whose low drive nestled in the bottom corner.

Credit to Wrexham, they battled on and reduced the deficit just four minutes later.

Spender played a neat one-two with Hall and then found the bottom corner with a well placed low drive from just inside the area.

Adam Burchill was not far away from extending Barnet's lead while Done's rocket shot at the other end was tipped over the bar by Harrison.

Both sides were pressing for a goal and Llewellyn's diving header was blocked, with Hall's follow up deflected over the bar.

That inevitably left gaps at the back for Wrexham and Josh Wright hit the post, and Burchill saw his goalbound effort turned around the post by Ward.

Substitute Kieran St Aimie had only been on the pitch literally seconds when his header was tipped over the bar as Barnet kept pressing, and Sagi Burton hit a post.

Wrexham's final chance to salvage a point came in injury time when Broughton was sent clear but he fired wide.

There was to be no heroics from Wrexham who remain deep in trouble.

Ask Brian

If you have a question for Brian Little email it to digitalnews@nwn.co.uk and we'll ask as many as we can during our next video interview with the Reds boss this Thursday.