Hull City 2 Barnet 1

Nationwide League Division Three

Barnet fought bravely on Saturday and deserved a point against Hull but conceded a late goal and lost 2-1.

It was their seventh successive away defeat.

In midweek, one-time Bees player Alex Inglethorpe's goal in added time gave Exeter a 1-0 victory and on Saturday John Eyre struck Hull's 86th-minute winner, his second of the match.

Barnet had led through Mark Gower's first league goal in the 23rd minute.

Bees' player-manager Tony Cottee said: "We dominated until the hour, looking good in attack and solid in defence. Then we just seemed to die. I'd love to know why."

Barnet began brightly, and Tony Richards might well have given them a two-goal lead after 12 minutes.

In the first minute, Richards was left clear after Hull defender Mike Edwards slipped as he tried to intercept Lee Flynn's through ball but he fired straight at keeper Paul Musselwhite.

Then Danny Brown delivered a good cross from the left, but Richards' effort was just too high.

Brown sent over another perfect cross and Gower rose to score with a well-placed header.

Sandwiched between the Bees' raids was a magnificent save by keeper Lee Harrison to deny Rodney Rowe.

Rowe's partner, 6ft 7in Kevin Francis, had scored four goals in Hull's five previous league games but the Bees had done their homework.

Tigers' wing back Neil Man, a regular provider for Francis, was effectively shadowed by Darren Currie and with the supply cut, Francis proved ineffective.

Two minutes into the second half, Eyre replaced Steve Swales and soon began to make his presence felt, equalising in the 64th minute.

Barnet's defence failed to cut out a cross from the right by Edwards and Eyre struck a powerful shot from just inside the box.

Barnet fought back, forcing three corners in quick succession, before Hull produced a storming finish.

Harrison, who had made a tremendous save from Rowe, was left stranded by Eyre's lob but Mark Arber kept out Rowe's fierce goalbound drive with a spectacular diving header.

But Hull were not to be denied. In the 86th minute Edwards flicked on a long free kick by keeper Musselwhite and Eyre fired in an angled shot to secure the Tigers' fifth successive win.

BARNET: Harrison, Stockley, Arber, Goodhind, Flynn, Currie, Gower, Niven (Strevens 89), Brown, Cottee, Richards.

Substitutes not used: Naisbitt, Heald, Gledhill, Bell.

Man of the match: Arber. Attendance: 7268.