MK Dons stayed top of League 2 thanks to a professional if not spectacular performance against 10-man Barnet.

First half screamers from Alan Navarro and Lloyd Dyer proved enough for Paul Ince's men, as their 12th away win maintained their two-point cushion at the top of the table.

Heading for the break with the lead established, the Dons' job was made slightly easier when Bees midfielder Michael Leary crazily saw red for an elbow on Dons skipper Keith Andrews.

It was a sour incident that led to a great deal of commotion both on the pitch and on the touchline, as tempers boiled over in first-half injury time.

And it effectively condemned Barnet to a fifth straight defeat with the Dons never looking likely to surrender the lead.

One concern for the Dons will have been Andrews' understandable reaction to what proved to be a broken nose.

The Dons skipper earned a 10th caution of the season for trying to confront Leary, a booking that means he will miss next week's visit of Chester and the trip to Grimsby a week later.

Dons goalscorer Alan Navarro looks for a way round Josh Wright.

The result changes little in terms of the table, with each of the top seven picking up wins to leave it as you were in the race for promotion.

But as Ince pointed out afterwards, it's another game gone with the Dons still at the summit and still in driving seat with 13 games to play.

The Dons going in front when they did at Underhill came as something of a surprise after Barnet started the game firmly on the front foot.

Leary wasted a decent opening having been played in by the impressive Albert Adomah on four minutes and striker Adam Birchall actually had the ball in the Dons net shortly afterwards, only to be denied by the offside flag.

Adomah forced a good save from Willy Gueret and skied the rebound as the Dons were forced to defend, but with their first meaningful attack, the visitors took the lead.

Kevin Gallen showed great feet to twist Ismail Yakubu this was and that before finding space to cross from the left and when Dyer was unable to release his shot at the far post, he laid it off for Navarro.

Hobbling after a late tackle from Adomah moments before, Navarro looked in some distress. But his pain unsurprisingly subsided when he rifled a right-foot shot past Rob Beckwith from 25 yards.

Barnet felt they should have had a penalty minutes later when Cliff Akurang tumbled under Drissa Diallo's challenge as he tried to convert a cross from Adomah.

But whistle didn't go and Dyer sprinted to the other end to score a quite brilliant second in the 18th minute.

Striding into space down the right from Gallen's intelligent pass, Dyer faced up Kenny Gillet, who took the suicidal measure of showing the left-footer inside.

Dyer obliged at pace before firing an unstoppable drive into the top-right hand corner from 25 yards.

Dyer almost made it three just after the half-hour when he caught Gillet napping from Dean Lewington's quick free-kick, but the winger stabbed wide one-on-one with Beckwith.

Dons skipper Keith Andrews climbs to challenge in the air.

The home fans continued to be frustrated by their side's lack of cutting edge, Akurang wasting more good work from Adomah down the right by completely miss-hitting his shot from the edge of the area.

It was a chance to get back in the game, but the likelihood of any more of those materialising took a huge dip when Leary lost his head just before the break.

Clearly upset at not getting a free-kick when he was caught by the masterful Sean O'Hanlon in the air moments before, Leary returned to the pitch after brief treatment from the physio.

Competing for the very next ball in the air, the Bees midfielder threw a crude elbow into Andrews' face and was immediately shown a red card by referee Stuart Attwell.

Andrews' subsequent yellow card when he did little more than let Leary know what he thought of him was perhaps a touch harsh - the effects we will only discover when his suspension kicks in next week.

At least he won't be joined on the sidelines for those two games by Navarro, who was replaced by Colin Cameron at the break with his nine bookings in mind - the latest for a poor challenge on Josh Wright earlier in the half.

The Dons produced further openings in the second period, Barnet tiring as they chased the ball around the field a man light, and probably should have made the game more comfortable than it was.

Jemal Johnson mis-controlled when put through by Andrews before John Miles was introduced and brought a whole host of new problems for Barnet with him.

Jemal Johnson outstrips Barnet captain Ismail Yakubu.

Flying past Yakubu on 69 minutes, the on-loan Accrington striker cut the ball across the box for Dyer and only an acrobatic save from Beckwith prevented the winger making it three.

One started to wonder whether missed chances would come back to haunt the Dons but when Adam Birchall wasted Barnet's best opening two minutes later, you knew it wouldn't be the home side's day.

For once, O'Hanlon and defensive partner Danny Swailes misjudged a ball over the top and though Birchall seized on it into the Dons area, he scuffed a shot straight at Gueret from 12 yards.

Andrews dragged a shot wide after more good play from Miles down the left but when Cameron failed to score from the same man's cutback with 13 minutes to go, Ince's displeasure was evident as he slammed his water bottle to the ground in frustration.

Andrews' touch deserted him after Dyer had made inroads down the right and Cameron was superbly denied by Beckwith when Dyer produced another great ball from the opposite flank.

But while the scoreline was never comfortable enough for his team to truly relax, Ince will be pleased enough to return to Milton Keynes with three points in the bag.

Attention now turns to Swansea at stadiummk on Monday night, where the Dons will find themselves heading for Wembley if they can avoid defeat.

Barnet: Beckwith, Porter (Carew 59), Yakubu, Devera, Gillet, Adomah, Wright, Leary, Puncheon (Grazioli 84), Birchall, Akurang (Burton 59).

Subs not used: Harrison, Nicolau

Booked: Burton

Sent off: Leary 45+2

MK Dons: Gueret, Diallo, O'Hanlon, Swailes, Lewington, Dyer, Navarro (Cameron 46), Andrews, Stirling (Miles 65), Gallen, Johnson (Hadfield 81).

Subs not used: Abbey, Baldock.

Goals: Navarro 14, Dyer 18

Booked: Navarro, Andrews, Gallen.

Attendance: 2,495 (876 away)

Referee: Stuart Attwell