A double from Luisma Villa has given Conference Premier leaders Barnet a 2-0 lead over Braintree Town at half time.

Barnet quickly set about building on their important victory at Gateshead at the weekend and the Bees could have taken the lead on nine minutes through John Akinde, but the striker's shot was well kept out at the near post.

The visitors were having their moments in the final third but they were struggling to create a clear-cut chance, and Barnet almost capitalised when Curtis Weston received the ball on the edge of the penalty area before having a strike blocked.

The home side took the lead on 26 minutes when Luisma Villa curled a low strike into the bottom for his sixth of the campaign, and it got worse for Braintree moments later when Sean Marks was dismissed for a stray elbow.

The Londoners doubled their advantage with 11 minutes remaining of the first half when Villa got on the scoresheet for the second time in eight minutes, curling the ball into the far corner from 20 yards.