Chester City kept themselves in the play-off frame with a dominant performance to see off a lacklustre Barnet.
The opener came on six minutes with the first proper attack of the game. Kevin Ellison cut in from the byline to cross a dangerous ball which took a touch off the head of John Murphy and fell to the inrushing Richie Partridge who rifled home on the volley from eight yards out.
The visitors should have drawn level on 16 minutes as Adam Birchall cut through the Chester defence and looked odds on to score until he was denied by the legs of a sprawling John Danby. Neal Bishop then saw an effort saved by Danby low down to his right.
At the other end, keeper Lee Harrison had to be on his toes to turn a Murphy headed over the bar on 25 minutes and Partridge fired a curling effort narrowly over.
The advantage was doubled for the home side on 40 minutes with a spectacular half-volley from Ellison, who pounced on the ball on the edge of the box and hit a first time effort from 20 yards out.
Chester eased off in the second period and the Bees had several half chances.
A shot from Jason Puncheon sailed narrowly over early in the second half and Bishop headed a difficult chance straight at keeper Danby. Liam Hatch also headed wide.
But there was little to cheer the 80 hardy souls who had made the effort to travel up from North London as Ellison claimed his second, after superbly bringing the ball down and striking a left-foot shot in off the post with four minutes remaining.
