Barnet’s lead at the Conference summit was cut to six points as the Bees succumbed to a 4-1 defeat at Lincoln City.

Sincil Bank has never been a happy hunting ground for the Bees, who are now winless at Lincoln’s home since 1996, and defeat against Chris Moyses side means the Imps are the first team to do the double over Barnet this term.

Meanwhile victory for Bristol Rovers at Nuneaton ensured the Gas are hot on Barnet’s tail.

First-half strikes from Ben Tomlinson and Alan Power gave the Bees a mountain to climb at half-time; trailing 2-0 despite having carved out more openings in the first period.

With Barnet down to ten following injury to Elliott Johnson, Jon Nolan scored Lincoln’s third in the second half. Conner Robinson scored a fourth late on, before Luke Gambin grabbed a stylish consolation.

Martin Allen made two changes from the side which beat Aldershot Town 1-0 on New Year’s Day, with Luisma Villa and Lee Cook coming in for Mauro Vilhete and Keanu Marsh-Brown; both of whom dropped to the bench.

Amongst the substitutes there was a return for Gambin, who took the place of Watford loanee Bernard Mensah. The striker’s loan deal is due to expire tomorrow.

Lincoln City boss Chris Moyses made one change, bringing Nolan in for Arnaud Mendy. On the bench, veteran player-coach David Preece took the place of Nick Townsend.

Graham Stack began in goal for the Bees, with Andy Yiadom, Bondz N’Gala, David Stephens and Johnson in front of him.

Villa, Curtis Weston, Sam Togwell and Cook started from right to left, with John Akinde and Charlie MacDonald up front together.

It was the hosts – playing for the first time in 2015 following their New Year’s Day postponement – who started brightest and could have been ahead after seven minutes. Marcus Marshall was only denied an early opener by a good block from Yiadom following a corner.

Barnet replied six minutes later as a long ball forward from Luisma released Akinde in behind the Imps back-line. The striker cut back for Cook but his swept effort was well block by veteran centre-back Nat Brown.

Four minutes later the home side went in front. As had been the case at The Hive, the goal came from a left-wing cross; Sean Newton swinging a ball to the back post for Power to nod into Tomlinson’s path.

The wideman screwed his half volley into the turf but the bounce took the ball over Stack and into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty area.

Akinde was inches away from an equaliser just two minutes later, firing wide with the aid of a deflection after controlling Yiadom’s wicked low cross. MacDonald then planted a header wide from a second Barnet corner.

Imps skipper Power then doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 25th minute. Another ball from the left was worked inside by Nolan to find Power and he drilled over Stack and into the back of the net with aplomb.

Luisma tried his luck with a free kick three minutes later, but planted wide of Paul Farman’s near post with a flat effort from 25 yards.

Power came dangerously close to putting the home side 3-0 up seven minutes before the break when he placed a bending right-footed effort narrowly wide of the top right-hand corner from 18 yards.

Barnet’s best chance to reduce the deficit arrived seconds before the half-time whistle; Akinde cutting back for Luisma to fire into the body of the covering Newton.

A clearly unhappy Allen made three changes at half time, introducing Gambin, Marsh-Brown and David Hunt in place of Cook, Villa and Togwell.

The Bees might have snatched one back within four minutes of the restart as Lincoln goalkeeper Farman raced off his line to clear a long ball over the top to Gambin. With the stopper stranded, Akinde picked up the ball 30 yards from goal, only to be tackled as he went to shoot.

With just nine second-half minutes played, the Bees were dealt another blow as full-back Johnson was withdrawn with what appeared to be a hamstring strain.

That forced a re-shuffle at the back for Barnet, with substitute Hunt filling in at left-back and MacDonald dropping back into midfield.

And two minutes after losing Johnson to injury, the Imps grabbed their third. With the Barnet back four at sixes and sevens, Marshall crossed to the back post and Nolan slid under Stack from point-blank range.

Following a bright start to the second period from Barnet, it was the Imps who were providing the greater threat as the half wore on, with Stack denying Power and substitute Jordan Burrow in quick succession as the hosts went in search of a fourth.

A fourth did arrive when substitute Robinson slotted under Stack on the run after being played in by Tomlinson.

With four minutes remaining Barnet finally got something to show for their endeavours as Gambin whipped the ball past Farman from the corner of the penalty area.

The Bees now have a week off before resuming league action at Grimsby Town on Saturday, January 17 (12.45pm kick off).

Lincoln City: Farman; Caprice, Brown, Bencherif, Newton; Nolan, Adams; Power, Marshall (Robinson 69), Tomlinson; Sam-Yorke (Burrow 65).

Subs: Preece (GK), Miller, Mendy.

Barnet: Stack; Yiadom, Stephens, N'Gala, Johnson; Villa (Marsh-Brown HT), Togwell (Hunt HT), Weston, Cook (Gambin HT); Akinde, MacDonald.

Subs: Saville, Vilhete.

Referee: Martin Coy.

Attendance: 2,759 (173 away supporters).