Shrewsbury 0 Barnet 2 Manager John Still had good cause for feeling pleased after his crucial decisions helped Barnet end a lean spell of three successive Third Division defeats with a victory that lifted them from the foot of the table to 13th place.

Needing to restore stability in a defence that had leaked goals, Still reverted to last season's successful formation with three central defenders.

That had the desired effect, but even more significant was Still's timely introduction of substitutes Billy Manuel and Ken Charlery that set the Bees buzzing, with Manuel and Charlery grabbing the second-half goals that brought three precious points.

Early goals had caused Barnet's downfall against Plymouth and Brentford. After preventing a repeat, they grew in confidence, showing plenty of determination and more fluency than of late.

John Doolan figured prominently in midfield, and striker Scott McGleish kept the home defence fully occupied, having a hand in both goals.

Doolan gained possession with determined challenges and was was inspirational in the visitors' best move of the match which should have resulted in a 42nd minute lead. Receiving a return pass from McGleish, Doolan sent a superb sweeping delivery wide to Sean Devine, who burst clear, only to fire into the side-netting from close range. A cross to McGleish, well-positioned, might have been more rewarding.

Manuel, replacing Sam Stockley for the second half, soon began to make his presence felt, before opening the scoring in the 68th minute with his first league goal for the Bees.

Charlery, who had taken over from Devine on the hour, robbed an opponent and dashed forward before feeding McGleish whose cross from the right was met by Manuel with a lunging header to end Barnet's blank spell of 347 minutes without a goal.

Shrewsbury who, like Barnet, had suffered three successive league defeats after winning their opening game, were anxious not to extend the sorry sequence, but sound covering by Mike Basham and Jon Ford kept them at bay.

Darren Currie, left out of Barnet's starting line-up against his former club, replaced Doolan after 80 minutes and had a hand in the second goal three minutes from time.

McGleish was again involved, ending good work on the right with an accurate cross, and when Currie charged down an attempted clearance, Charlery swooped to sweep the ball into the net.

BARNET: Harrison; Stockley (Manuel, 46), Goodhind, Ford, Basham, Harle; Simpson, Wilson, Doolan (Currie, 80), McGleish, Devine (Charlery, 59).

Attendance: 2,369.

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