Barnet suffered their fourth consecutive league defeat of the season at the hands of Lincoln City following a 2-1 loss last night.

Two first-half goals had put the Imps in a commanding position and although the visitors performed much better in the second period, they were not able to overcome their poor start.

Striker Shaq Coulthirst’s sixth goal of the league campaign in the 62nd minute gave Barnet hope that they might get something out of the game, but after going a goal behind in the seventh minute Rossi Eames’ men were always playing catch-up.

In an attempt to be harder to beat Wesley Fonguck was selected in central midfield at the expense of Jack Taylor as the Bees reverted to a flat back four; with a five-man midfield backing up a solitary striker.

From kick-off the hosts displayed their attacking intent as a Josh Ginnelly header went over the crossbar within the first minute of play.

Barnet were finding it difficult to make headway and were largely being penned back in their own half and after 7th minutes Ollie Palmer gave the Imps a deserved early lead.

Palmer, a previous thorn in the side for Barnet when he played for Grimsby Town, latched onto a ball some 25 yards from goal, advanced, then released a powerful low shot past keeper Craig Ross.

Lincoln were dominating proceedings and were creating numerous scoring opportunities. Matt Green had an effort blocked and a Ginnelly corner caused consternation in the Barnet rear-guard.

Ross was being kept busy and he did superbly well to keep out a shot from fully 30 yards from the dangerous Ginnelly, pushing the ball up and over for a corner.

The Bees didn’t trouble former Barnet goalkeeper Josh Vickers until the 36th minute when a Jamal Campbell-Ryce effort was comfortably help by the Imps stopper.

Any hopes that Barnet would make it to half-time with just a one-goal deficit were thwarted when with three minutes of the half remaining, Harry Anderson scored for Lincoln.

When the ball came in from the right, Barnet were unable to clear their lines, and Anderson’s quick reactions saw him force the ball home from close range.

The Bees responded by forcing two corners in time added on but they came to nothing.

Barnet were a different proposition in the second half, almost unrecognisable from the team that were clearly second best in the first 45 minutes.

Lincoln were adopting a more conservative approach; the onus was clearly on the Bees to force the issue with the hosts in no mood to take unnecessary risks.

This allowed Barnet to enjoy more possession but their hosts were quick to get men behind the ball to defend their two-goal advantage.

A Fonguck effort was blocked by Rob Dickie and the visitors did force a number of corners.

A neatly executed volley from 15 yards by Coulthirst in the 62nd minute gave the visitors hope and it was the former Peterborough United man who nearly levelled for the Bees when he latched onto a delivery into the box by Akpa-Akpro.

Barnet made a double substitution in the 74th minute with Ruben Bover and Ephron Mason-Clark were introduced at the expense of Campbell-Ryce and Simeon Akinola.

As the game entered the closing stages the visitors pushed more men forward but this was at the expense of exposing themselves to Lincoln’s swift counter-attacking.

Harry Taylor had an opportunity that he wasn’t able to capitalise on; play then quickly being moved to the other end of the field where Ross kept out an effort by Jordan Maguire-Drew.

The Bees would once again win two more corners in time added on but such was the dominance of the Imps in the first-half it was difficult to argue for anything other than a home victory.

Barnet: Ross, H.Taylor, Clough, Nelson, Tutonda, Coulthirst, Vilhete, Campbell-Ryce (Bover 74), Fonguck, Akinola (Mason-Clark 74), Akpa Akpro (Blackman 83) Subs not used: Santos, J.Taylor, McKenzie-Lyle, Mars.