A late winner from 19-year-old substitute Kristian Dennis earned Macclesfield their third home win of 2009, ending Barnet's six game unbeaten run.
Nat Brown had headed Macc infront inside two minutes but Barnet fought back after the break and Albert Adomah's close range effort looked to have earned a draw before Dennis struck.
Brown, continuing at centre back, found space in the area after just 90 seconds to head Lee Bell's deep free kick across goal and into the far corner.
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Nat Brown - Solid at the back throughout and early header was his sixth of the campaign |
The Silkmen almost immediately doubled their advantage from another set piece in a similar spot as Rooney's off target effort was almost turned in by Shaun Brisley following up.
Good tenacity from skipper Bell allowed Colin Daniel to drill wide from 25 yards before Neal Bishop curled well wide for the visitors.
On 17 minutes Adomah skipped past Ahmed Deen on the right and delivered a good ball in which diminutive striker Adam Birchall could only glance wide.
Jordan Hadfield powered a header inches wide of the post after half an hour, storming onto Colin Daniel's cross and the dogged midfielder took a knock on the head for his troubles.
Evans almost caught keeper Ran Kadoch off guard with a rasping near post effort before Hadfield was forced off still suffering from the earlier clash.
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Jordan Hadfield - Combative from box to box until knock on the head forced him off |
After the interval Barnet came out stronger but nearly gifted Macc a second when Max Porter smashed the ball at Michael Leary as he attempted to hack away Emile Sinclair's low cross and the ball trickled across the face of goal before going agonizingly wide for a corner.
Izak Reid lost the ball in a dangerous position and when Bishop slipped the ball to Birchall only a brave block by Brown denied the striker a clear shot at goal.
Bishop did provide the equalier on 54 minutes though, finding space on the left to square the ball for Adomah to thump in from close range for his 10th of the season.
John Rooney clipped a brilliant ball into Evans' path from midfield but the forward failed to find an instant reply as he miss-hit from the edge of the box.
Birchall almost put the Bees ahead out of the blue on 67 minutes with an ambitious long range effort, hooking a first time shot onto the bar with Brain well beaten.
Barnet skipper Leary forced Brain into a terrific reaction save when he rose highest at the far post to get on the end of Nicky Nicolau's corner and looked to nod in from close range.
Evans latched onto Bell's ball in from the touchline to fire in a rasping first time effort which thudded back off the near post and was eventually cleared behind.
The winner came when keeper Kadoch could only get his fingertips to Bell's corner and with the defence hesitant to clear under pressure from Brown, Dennis stole in to slam home from six yards.
The youngster almost grabbed a second to seal the points on the break in stoppage time but Evans' pass into his path forced him wide and he could only hook the ball across goal rather than into the far corner.
A first home victory since the end of February was a good way to finish a disappointing season in front of the home fans and the trip to Grimsby next week will now become less important in the bigger League Two picture with Chester condemned to relegation with a draw not good enough for their survival.
Andy Brinkhurst
