Barnet manager Martin Allen has insisted that the Bees must cope with their opponents raising their performance against them if they are to remain at the top of the league table.

Allen witnessed his side fall to a 1-0 defeat at home to Wrexham on Tuesday evening, but despite remaining in first place, the former Gillingham boss has made it clear to his team that they must learn to deal with expectations in the Conference Premier.

The 49-year-old is quoted by Times Series as saying: "Everybody is getting used to being the top-of-the-table team. All of the reports, the pictures, the photographs and the television, the radio - everybody saying how fantastic Barnet are. You have to live with it, and you have to learn to live with it and learn to play with it.

"Teams are going to come here and raise their game by an extra yard. I saw this Wrexham team play at Bristol Rovers the other night and they are fully committed. That makes it tough for the opposition to break them down, like it was for us tonight. We didn't show enough creativity and calmness to open them up."

Barnet play host to Altrincham on Saturday afternoon.