Barnet 1 Macclesfield Town 0 . . .

New signing Adam Birchall fired Barnet to within two points of the play-off places at Underhill this afternoon.

The striker fed off a Nicky Bailey ball to strike five minutes before the interval.

This was a battle between two of the division's form sides, but Barnet were in control throughout and fully deserved the points.

Manager Paul Fairclough was pleased his side continued where they left off in Tuesday's thrilling FA Cup win.

"I'm really pleased that we've kept the momentum going today, and kept the pressure on the teams above us," he said.

The Bees are now looking an outside bet for the play-offs, with the relegation zone 11 points behind them.

This was not a classic encounter, but a hard-earned three points.

Birchall and Bailey combined to almost give the hosts the lead on 17 minutes. Birchall was set free by Bailey's chip forward and only had the keeper to beat after a clever back-heel fooled his marker, but Macc number one David Rouse was out quickly to smother his effort.

The Silkmen produced a couple of long-range efforts at the other end, but the Bees looked in full control.

Birchall teed up Dean Sinclair on the half-hour after a lovely move, but the midfielder failed to keep his shot down.

The opener finally came in the 40th minute. Birchall took Bailey's ball forward in his stride and sent it past the advancing Rouse.

The Bees continued to create all the chances after the break too. Jason Puncheon jinked this way and that, before shooting just wide from the edge of the box, while Barry Cogan dispossessed his marker before drilling a shot across the face of goal, when a pull-back may have been the better option.

Macclesfield enjoyed more possession in the final half-hour, but created little. In fact, the Bees should have wrapped it up long before the end.

Puncheon lobbed over from out wide after Rouse had committed himself close to the touchline, while Simon King got in front of a defender to hook a Puncheon cross just over the bar from eight yards. King also went close with an overhead kick in the final ten minutes.

The final chance went to sub Liam Hatch. His typical spirited run at the defence ended with a shot just wide.

Macc were well beaten by this stage and could not even rouse themselves during four additional minutes, keeper Lee Harrison not having to make a save during the entire second half.

BARNET (4-4-2): Harrison; Hendon, Yakubu, King, Nicolau; Cogan, Sinclair, Bailey, Graham; Birchall (Grazioli 90), Puncheon (Hatch 78). Subs not used: Flitney, Warhurst, Hessenthaler.

Attendance: 2,018.