by PAUL WREYFORD (at the Deva Stadium) One or two disgruntled Barnet fans approached this reporter after the game on Saturday and made a point of saying: "I hope you write the truth."

Contrary to popular belief, not all journalists lie, and it would be difficult to pull the wool over anyone's eyes after this woeful display.

The fans were angry and they wanted everyone to know that this latest in a long line of away-day defeats was not acceptable.

You cannot blame them. An eight-hour round trip to watch a team lacking passion and far too willing to accept their fate should be enough to persuade anyone not to bother taking to the road again this season.

Of course, the loyal Barnet fans will be back, but their heroes' owe them something the next time they travel.

It is not often you have to criticise Paul Fairclough's troops for lacking spirit but, for whatever reason, they looked like they wanted to be somewhere else on Saturday, particularly after the second goal on the hour had all but sewn up the points.

Barnet have not won away this year but, in the past, that has not been for the want of trying. That did not appear to be the case at the Deva Stadium.

Chester looked a poor side and there for the beating. Within 15 minutes, the home fans were already starting to get on top of their own players. In fact, so desperate was their start, the first sign of anticipation and excitement from the terraces came when the hosts won nothing more than a throw-in.

That was because Barnet had started positively and were in full control, be it without really threatening.

But they slowly allowed their hosts into the game and it steadily got worse for the Bees, culminating in a lacklustre second-half performance.

City should have taken the lead on 24 minutes, Ross Flitney having to block an effort with his legs after Paul Rutherford had beaten the offside trap. Barnet's only real chance of the entire 90 minutes came just before Chester broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time. Perhaps the outcome would have been very different if Oliver Allen's low shot had gone in and not come back off the base of the post.

However, it was City who went in at the break encouraged, their opener coming in the final minute of first-half stoppage time.

It was a simple goal and typical of a dour opening half. A deep Sean Hessey corner was knocked back into the danger area by Paul Linwood and Phil Boland headed into the roof of the net from close range.

It was the perfect time to score and at least raised hopes of a better second half, but the second 45 minutes turned out to be even worse.

It was all over on the hour. Ismail Yakubu gave the ball away (Barnet's passing was sloppy all afternoon) and it was worked to Jamie Hand who drilled low past Flitney from just inside the box.

The Barnet heads visibly dropped and they tamely conceded defeat. Though they had plenty of possession in the final half-hour, it looked like they were just going through the motions and waiting for something to happen. There was very little urgency and, with the hosts content to sit back, the game predictably petered out, the Bees unable to create even a half-chance.