Barnet manager, Martin Allen made one change to the team that beat Bristol Rovers in midweek, bringing in Keanu Marsh Brown for his first start of the season. Mauro Vilhete dropped to the bench.
However, Barnet started the match rather sluggishly and the imps looked much the sharper side and it wasn’t really a surprise when, on 15 minutes, former Stevenage striker, Jordan Burrow headed the Imps in front from Sean Newton’s cross with Graham Stack failing to come out for the cross.
A few minutes later, Lincoln almost made it 2-0 but Alan Power, who impressed the whole game, missed with a poor shot when he seemed certain to score. But, Lincoln did go further ahead on 22 minutes, when Hamza Bencherif out jumped Andy Yiadom to put the Imps two goals up.
Graham Stack had to make a tremendous save to keep out Bencherif’s shot soon after and before half time it looked as though Lincoln had more or less finished the match off when Tomlinson, who was giving Andy Yiadom a torrid time, scored but was flagged offside.
Barnet did come close to scoring when Lee Cook sent a fine effort towards the top corner of the net, but Lincoln keeper, Nick Townsend made a superb save.
To be honest, Barnet were fortunate to be only two goals down at half time and could’t really have complained if it had been 4-0 to Lincoln.
HT: Bees 0 Imps 2
Martin Allen made two changes at half time bringing on Mauro Vilhete and Sam Muggleton on for Elliott Johnson and Sam Togwell with Vilhete moving to right back and Yiadom into midfield. On 55 minutes, following a second foul throw by a Lincoln player in the space of a few minutes, Sam Muggleton delivered an impressive long throw down the left hand side for Charlie MacDonald to play inside for Keanu MARSH-BROWN to rifle home to put the Bees back in the game.
Barnet pushed on and the substitution of Luke Gambin for Lee Cook gave the Bees extra pace and Gambin gave a very impressive cameo performance after coming on. However, Lincoln could have scored again when Graham Sack fumbled the ball in the penalty area but the Lincoln player clearly didn’t expect it to happen and the chance was lost. Nat Brown almost scored for the Imps as well but his fine header skimmed the top of the bar.
However, Barnet had the better of the second half and created a number of chances themselves, albeit not really clear cut ones and should have had two penalties; firstly when John Akinde was clearly tripped inside the box only for the referee to book him for supposedly diving. Later on, Bondz N’Gala was blatantly pushed in the back with the referee perfectly placed to see it but, inexplicably he refused to award the penalty. Barnet also had a couple of hand ball claims as well.
Gambin created a good chance for Akinde but he was unable to get in a shot and eventually time ran out for the Bees. After being completely outplayed in the first half, the Bees gave a much improved second half performance and on another day with a different referee would probably have grabbed a point but it has to be said that, judging the game as a whole, Lincoln were the better side.
FT: Bees 1 Imps 2
Barnet Mad Man of the Match: Luke Gambin.
Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, N’Gala, Stephens, Johnson (Muggleton 46); Marsh-Brown, Weston, Togwell Vilhete 46), Cook (Gambin 61); Akinde, MacDonald.
Subs not used: Saville, Lowe.
Att: 1529.