See also

>> SLIDESHOW: Barnet 3 - Chester City 1

Davies was brutally honest with his assessment of the City side who lacked passion, desire, or any hint of commitment.

And he spelt out the danger of now dropping into a relegation dogfight after seeing Barnet leapfrog the Blues in the League Two table and see his own team drop within seven points of the drop zone.

Chester have only won one of their last 18 matches and from their latest episode in north London, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that atrocious trend will change in City's remaining eight games.

Slack marking in defence, inaccurate passing in midfield, and a distinctly toothless appearance in attack have become worrying hallmarks during City's calamitous form during the last few months.

Blues boss Simon Davies named an unchanged line-up on the back of their 1-0 midweek home defeat against Bradford City.

Barnet started brightly and created a string of promising goalscoring chances, but Anthony Thomas blasted his 20 yard shot over the bar from Jordan Parkes' lay off.

Thomas was also handed a scoring chance a minute later, but he miscued his shot from Cliff Akurang which was sliced wide.

City were forced to replaced injured James Vaughan for Kevin Sandwith in the 10th minute.

And Akurang maintained the pressure on the City defence in the 11th minute, but his angled effort from the left edge of the six yard box fizzed wide of the far post.

Chester countered in the 18th minute, but Laurence Wilson's goalbound 30-yard attempt was superbly turned around the base of the left post by home keeper, Lee Harrison.

Striker Paul McManus put pressure on Harrison in the 25th minute who cleared from the edge of his area as far as Kevin Ellison who screwed wide from 25 yards.

The home club hit back when Thomas turned his marker and saw his goalbound effort well held by John Danby.

Albert Adomah beat Tony Dinning in a challenge but then steered his shot wide of the right post, and Thomas was denied an opening goal when the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

Chester responded when Paul Rutherford carved a low cross for Ellison who in turn found John Murphy, but the striker's close range effort was deflected wide.

City continued to press when Ellison hoisted a corner to the back post where Murphy headed back for McManus who steered his header wide of the target.

Akurang could have broken the deadlock for the home club in the 39th minute, but his overhead kick from point blank range was directed wide of the left post.

Rutherford produced Chester's best scoring attempt of the half when he connected with a long free kick from Wilson, but saw his left-footed volley acrobatically tipped over the bar by Harrison.

Barnet emerged after the restart looking determined to compound City's problems, and they succeeded in the 51st minute when a punt upfield triggered indecision between Tony Dinning and John Danby, and a window of opportunity for Thomas who nipped the ball from between the pair and tucked a low angled shot into the net.

Hughes attempted to redress the balance, but his 25 yard drive was gathered by Harrison at his second attempt.

Akurang demonstrated his pace to outsprint Dinning down the left flank seconds later, but his eventual shot was deflected for a corner.

The Barnet winger made amends in the 72nd minute when he drilled home a powerfully hit penalty kick after Danby had been seemly harshly adjudged to have floored the Bees player on the byline.

But, instead of digging deep and hitting back, Chester looked nervous and allowed the home club to dictate in every department.

Nicky Nicolau scopped a 10-yard shot over the bar in the 76th minute, and Dinning was forced to head over a dangerous cross from Josh Wright two minutes later, before Akurang steered a headed effort over the target seconds later.

Chester were dead and buried when Barnet extended their advantage in the 81st minute.

Thomas jinked his way into space on the right edge of the box and clipped an inch-perfect cross for Akurang who was unmarked on the penalty spot and allowed time to steer his headed effort into the top right corner of the net.

Hughes did manage to reply for Chester a minute into stoppage time after Ellison had carved the chance from the left edge of the box.

But there were understandably no celebrations from the Blues who have a mountain to climb as they attempt to keep their heads above the prospect of a relegation dogfight.

See also

>> SLIDESHOW: Barnet 3 - Chester City 1