Jake Hyde says Barnet must make The Hive a “horrible place to come” for opposing sides and believes the Bees’ home form will be vital if they are to challenge for promotion.

Barnet made the perfect start to life at their new home by beating Chester 3-0 on Saturday.

Hyde, who handed in a transfer request earlier in the summer, scored a brace and believes the Bees must make The Hive a fortress.

He said: “Our home form will be massive. Any team that wins the league or gets promoted has a good home record. We need to make it a fortress and win the majority of our games.

“We want to make it a horrible place to come for other sides; we want them to fear coming here. There is no better way to do that than by winning your first game 3-0.”

Hyde was Barnet’s top scorer last season with 15 goals. He is already off the mark in this campaign but insists the team’s performances are more important than personal achievements.

He said: “It was a lovely start but this season is going to be about the team and getting us up the table. If I can help that by scoring goals then I’ll be pleased.

“I never have a target that I want to reach at the beginning of the season. I am happy to take it game by game and score as many goals as I can.”

Hyde will again lead the Bees attack as they look to make an immediate return to the Football League.

The striker believes the Bees squad has been strengthened over the summer and hopes it will be a promising year for Barnet.

He said: “We have a strong squad and we are very lucky to have kept the majority of the players from last season.

“I thought that by the end of the last we were one of the strongest sides in League Two anyway.

“The fact we have strengthened the squad is very promising. We have people like Luisma coming off the bench and he can change a game.

“So fingers crossed it will be a promising year for us.”

The 23-year-old continues to play as the lone striker in Edgar Davids’ preferred 4-3-3 formation.

He admits it’s a role he is still learning but says he improves every game.

He added: “Every match I learn a couple of new thing. That helps me and means I will get better in every game that I play.”