United were at the Hive on Tuesday night for a slightly later kick off than normal, with Barnet the hosts.

And it was the Blues who took the spoils as they overcame a sluggish start to assert their authority and turn the game on its head with a devastating second half display.

The Bees had a fantastic chance to open the scoring with just three minutes on the clock when Akinde got on the end of a huge ball over the top. Nicholson was in space to receive the lay-off but his first-time toe poke bobbled wide of the target as he tried to guide it into the bottom corner.

United had half a shout for a penalty when Devitt tumbled to the floor as he challenged for a loose ball inside the area at the other end, but the officials waved play on as O'Sullivan drilled a low cross at the near post. Clough was across to clear it as Stockton looked to make something of it.

Barnet came again and Bonham had to parry as a low shot screamed across his area. Nicholls was on to the loose ball in a flash but Parkes did well to stand strong and make an important block.

An error from Lambe in midfield gifted Akinde with possession when his headed pass fell nicely for the striker. He surged forward and shot on the run from the edge of the box but it was always heading wide.

United had a great opportunity to make a notch on the scoresheet on 20 minutes when they worked the ball from right to left. Hope cut in from wide and had his first shot blocked, but it fell to him again after a second effort from Devitt was charged down. He lost his footing as he put his laces through another instinctive effort and he dragged his skewed grasscutter just past the upright as he slipped to the floor.

Bonham was in action once again when he went full length to palm a stinger from Tutonda away from the top corner as he stepped inside to try his luck from the left flank. Parkes helped the ball on its way out of the box, but it was clipped back in quickly by Vilhete and Akinde was disappointed to see his header go wide of the mark.

The Carlisle goal lived a charmed life just before the half hour when a deep corner was nodded down for Akinde to shoot. He placed it past the stranded keeper but Joyce was in a great position on the line to sweep it away.

Joyce almost made an impact at the other end when he stayed deep for a Devitt free kick. The ball was rolled into his path and Ross did well to get his fingertips to the top corner bound thunderbolt.

Hope was next to try his luck when he was played into the box by some neat work from Devitt. He dropped a shoulder and let fly with his left boot but it was straight at Ross and comfortable for the catch.

The first half ended with a snapshot on the volley from Hope as he exchanged passes with Lambe on the left hand angle. He struck it well but it dipped a moment too late.

An early secind half Barnet corner brought a flick from Akinde which skipped across the face of goal. The Bees kept the pressure on with deliveries into the area, and it was made to count when Santos shook his markers off to power an unstoppable header beneath Bonham and into the back of the net.

Carlisle went in search of an immediate response with a massive punt forward from O'Sullivan. Lambe pounced on the half clearance and jinked his way through two challenges to find Devitt in space. He had options but his cross went high and behind the goal.

Hope and Lambe challenged for an awkwardly bouncing ball as Ross scampered off his line, with the Blues camped forward, and it was the keeper who came away with it as he did just enough to make things safe.

Parkes then had a shot on the run deflected behind and Barnet closed ranks to deal with the set piece that followed. 

But things looked set to get worse for the Cumbrians on 59 minutes when Parkes and Akinde challenged for a ball over the top. The forward fell to the floor and referee Chris Sarginson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Akinde dusted himself down but made a mess of his spot kick as he skied it over the bar.

Hill did well to block a drive from Vilhete at source, as Barnet pushed on again, and that sparked a triple substitution from the manager as Bennett, Nadesan and Twardek replaced O'Sullivan, Stockton and Lambe.

Carlisle were lifted by the changes and a run of corners, sparked by a deflected Parkes shot, ended with a wayward header from the big defender as the ball skimmed off his head and went behind.

The Cumbrians were back on level terms with 20 minutes left to play when a punt forward was flicked on by Bennett, Ross raced from his line but Nadesan kept his cool to bag his first ever senior goal with the cutest of touches which took the ball past the advancing keeper and into the waiting net.

Hope won another corner when his shot from a tight angle hit a defender, and the away side suddenly started to look dangerous as they got forward in numbers. But Ellis missed a very good chance from close range when Joyce clipped a cross in his direction from a quickly taken routine. The defender got power on the header but somehow sent it into the side netting.

The good play deserved another goal and it came when Hope showed purpose with s stunning run which took him into the box. He left his man in his wake and put it on a plate for Richie Bennett to take the plaudits with a fantastic volleyed finish. 

The same player clipped the top of the bar when he nodded another great cross from Hope over Ross, and Twardek had a shot blocked as he slipped as he received a lovely pull back from Liddle.

And the points were wrapped up when Devitt drilled a low free kick into the area. Nadesan got the slightest of touches to take it into the bottom corner.

It was nearly a dream night for the Fleetwood loanee when he broke into the box to send a shot across Ross. The stopper got a touch to send it behind for a corner.

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Goals

Barnet - Santos (50)

Carlisle United - Nadesan (70, 88), Bennett (82)

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Bookings

Barnet - Watson (86)

Carlisle United - Bennett (90)

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Teams

Barnet - Ross, Clough, Sweeney, Santos, Tutonda, Nicholson (Taylor 78), Weston (Bover 83), Watson, Vilhete (Coulthirst 78), Akinde, Nicholls. Subs - Legg, Shomotun, Sule, Plavotic.

Carlisle United - Bonham, Liddle, Hill, Ellis, Parkes, O'Sullivan (Bennett 63), Devitt, Joyce, Lambe (Twardek 63), Hope, Stockton (Nadesan 63). Subs - Gray, Grainger, Nabi, Brown.

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Referee - Chris Sarginson

Attendance - 1,151 (207 away fans)