Lincoln City 1 Barnet 0 (From Times Series)

Lincoln City 1 Barnet 0

5:06pm Saturday 8th August 2009 in Sport

Barnet have not won on the opening day of the season since returning to the Football League, and it was another blank they drew at Sincil Bank this afternoon.

Despite enjoying much of the play, the Bees went down to a goal on the hour.

Lincoln has not exactly been a happy hunting ground in recent years either. Barnet's five previous visits to Sincil Bank had produced five defeats.

With John O'Flynn ruled out, winger Albert Adomah started up front alongside veteran Paul Furlong.

Manager Ian Hendon gave debuts to three new signings. Daniel Leach started in the centre of defence, with Gary Breen not deemed fit.

Ryan O'Neill also got the nod at right-back, Joe Devera having to settle for a place on the bench.

With Adomah up front, there was room for fellow winger Albert Jarrett.

Barnet did most of the pressing in the first half and came the closest to a goal.

The pace of wingers Adomah, Bolasie and Jarrett caused the hosts all sorts of problems.

Though there were few clear-cut chances, Bolasie did force Lincoln keeper Rob Burch, once on loan at Barnet, into a fine save on the half-hour.

Mark Hughes also came close with a curling effort that Burch had to tip over.

City had plenty of possession, but Barnet keeper Jake Cole was the quieter of the two number ones.

The Bees thought they might have gained a penalty just before the interval after a challenge on Bolasie, but the Imps escaped.

In total, the visitors forced five corners in the first 45 minutes, an indication that they had certainly not just come for a point.

But it was Lincoln who broke the deadlock 15 minutes into the second half. Cole made a mess of a high ball into the box and Janos Kovacs bundled it home from close range, after hitting the post with his first effort.

It was a massive blow to the Bees, though the Imps knew they had to up their game in the second half after what had been a disappointing opening first period for them.

Now the emphasis was on Barnet to attack, though the Bees could not exactly have been accused of sitting back anyway.

However, they could not emulate the promise they showed in the first half and there was no way back, the visitors never really looking like grabbing an equaliser in the closing stages.

BARNET (4-4-2): Cole; O'Neill, Yakubu, Leach, Gillet; Jarrett, Hughes, M Hyde, Bolasie (J Hyde 83); Adomah, Furlong (Charles 90). Subs not used: Carpenter, Devera, Kamdjo, Deen, Deverdics.