Liam Hatch came off the bench to score his first goal for Peterborough in a 1-0 home win which condemned Barnet to a fourth successive defeat.The £150,000 signing in January came on in the 64th minute and nine minutes later broke the deadlock as Posh extended their unbeaten league run to five games.

Hatch latched onto a long kick from goalkeeper Joe Lewis before firing home from 25 yards with only goal difference keeping Posh out of the automatic promotion places.

Despite their poor run, Barnet made a decent start and midfielder Cliff Akurang had the first attempt within four minutes. But Lewis, the injury-time penalty hero in Peterborough's 2-1 win at Chesterfield on Wednesday, made a comfortable save to keep out Akurang's 30-yard effort.

Albert Adomah also tried his luck from long range which Lewis easily dealt with, Chris Whelpdale volleying over the crossbar from 12 yards for Posh in between.

Peterborough finally woke up but Charlie Lee blazed wide from 30 yards and Whelpdale also failed to find the target from much closer in. Barnet goalkeeper Rob Beckwith pulled off a superb save to tip a Dean Keates header around the post in the 58th minute before Hatch struck.

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