A FIRST half free kick from Albert Adomah gave Barnet the only goal of the game and sent them back to London with three well-deserved points.

Torquay looked second best all over the pitch before the break, and although they improved in the second half and finished strongly, they rarely threatened the Barnet goal.

Torquay gave a home debut to defender Kieran Charnock in a team which showed just one change from the side that won at Burton in midweek.

Mustapha Carayol, scorer of a 35-yard stunner at Dagenham last week, came in to replace Wayne Carlisle.

The striking partnership of Scott Rendell and Elliot Benyon kept their places, with Tim Sills on the bench.

In the fifth minute only a timely intervention by Barnet full back Clovis Kamdjo prevented a deflected Carayol cross from sneaking in at the near post.

At the other end Chris Robertson denied Paul Furlong with a brave header in the 16th minute and Adomah curled a free kick just wide after 23 minutes.

Todd was booked for a foul after 26 minutes, and from the free kick Adomah curled the ball in from the left wing. No-one got a touch to it and it bounced beyond Scott Bevan and into the net.

Todd was substituted after 33 minutes, with Lee Mansell coming on in his place.

Adomah had a second goal ruled out for offside after 38 minutes at the end of a move in which Barnet had passed the ball crisply through the Gulls defence.

Torquay started the second half brightly and Carayol forced a good save from Jake Cole, but Bevan made a great save in the 51st minute as Barnet pushed forward.

Wayne Carlisle replaced Danny Stevens after 58 minutes.

Cole made a stunning save in the 66th minute to parry a Nicky Wroe shot behind for a corner, then raced off his line four minutes later to beat Carayol to a through-ball.

Sills finally joined the fray from the bench in the 75th minute, replacing Rendell.

Wroe hit the post with a powerful drive from the edge of the box with five minutes to go.

Carayol was booked for a foul in the 86th minute.

Teams: Torquay (4-4-2): Bevan; Robertson, Todd (Mansell 33), Charnock, Nicholson; Carayol, Hargreaves, Wroe, Stevens (Carlisle 58); Rendell (Sills 75), Benyon. Subs not used: Brough, Rice, Hodges, Joyce.

Attendance: 2,856

For full report, reaction and pictures see Monday's Herald Express.