GATESHEAD’S nine-game unbeaten run came crashing to an end as Barnet strengthened their position at the top of the Vanarama Conference with a comfortable 2-0 win at the International Stadium.

Martin Allen’s men scored two early goals to see off a Heed side that started the weekend as their closest challengers in the table.

Barnet were ahead in the fourth minute as skipper Curtis Weston exploited some hesitant defending before slotting past Adam Bartlett from inside the area.

And the Londoners doubled their lead three minutes later when Weston evaded both Bartlett and Ben Clark before chipping the ball across goal for Luisma Villa to head home.

Villa spurned an excellent chance to score a third, and it was only in the final quarter of the game that Gateshead offered any kind of attacking threat.

Jon Shaw and Danny Wright both recorded decent efforts on target, but Barnet goalkeeper Graham Stack was equal to both efforts and kept them out.

Gateshead: Bartlett, Jones, Howe, Clark, Allan (Wilson 46), Pattison (Rankine 35), Turnbull, Oster (Ramshaw 46), Wright, Shaw, Rodman.