Barnet head coach Dean Brennan cut a disappointed figure in the aftermath of a 2-1 defeat to Halifax Town on Saturday, but insisted his team dominated most of the National League opener.

Second-half strikes from Jamie Cook and Adam Alimi-Adetoro either side of Ben Coker’s equaliser condemned the Bees to defeat.

And after having the lion’s share of possession and creating the better chances, Brennan felt a pair of poor defensive actions were the difference.

“Narrow. It was a tight game. The most disappointing thing is when we got back into the game at 1-1, we gave up another really poor goal,” he told the club’s website.

“Both goals we gave up are really poor, and when we were in control of the game in the first half and dominating, we didn’t really have enough end-product to take the lead.

"First goals in games like this are always difficult. Especially against a team that sits in as a five and makes it difficult for you. To be fair to them, in both boxes they were slightly better than us on the day.”

Despite dominating the ball, Halifax made a clear effort to defend their box with intent, which came largely with success, but Brennan was forthright in his assessment of his side’s attacking prowess.

“We had chances,” he said, when asked if the Halifax had executed their defensive plan well.

“We had two headers at the end to equalise. In the first half we got in some fantastic areas, but it was just a lack of end-product from us in the top end of the pitch. We’ve got dominance in our phases of play.

“But we want to be priding ourselves on our defensive performance. Both goals we gave away were really poor individual errors, so that’s something we’ve got to make sure we improve on.”

The Barnet goal eventually came after some good footwork from talisman Callum Stead on the edge of the Halifax box with his initial shot saved by Sam Johnson before Coker fired home.

“Even that was the wrong decision from Steady. He should have slid Cokes in originally,” added Brennan.

“It’s taken a deflection, the goalie’s made a good save, and Cokes has followed in, but if you actually look at the overload, I think Nicke (Kabamba) flicks it on from a direct ball, and then Steady runs in the channel. He comes on the inside, and Coke was in.

"He (Stead) should slide him in. That’s the decision-making that cost us not winning here. We had so many scenarios like that in the first half and made the wrong decision.”

The Bees will have to wait for their first home fixture of the 2024/25 National League season as they travel to Ebbsfleet United on Saturday (3pm) before they welcome Forest Green Rovers to The Hive on Tuesday (7.45pm).