Despite missing a penalty, two first-half goals in a five-minute period proved to be enough to see off the challenge of Morecambe at The Hive as the Bees recorded their first home league victory since early September with a 2-1 success.

Barnet started the day rooted at the bottom of the table but this vital win saw them clamber out of the relegation zone.

Boss Mark McGhee selected Charlie Clough in the right-back slot, recalling skipper Michael Nelson at centre-back in a fluid 4-3-3 formation with Shaq Coulthirst and Jamal Campbell-Ryce operating either side of main striker John Akinde.

In the opening exchanges Campbell-Ryce put in a number of early crosses from the left flank and Ryan Watson’s set-piece deliveries caused some concern for the Morecambe defence.

Akinde linked well with Coulthirst in the ninth minute, with Barnet’s top scorer able to get his shot away from the edge of the box, narrowly missing the target.

Jack Taylor then showed nimble footwork 20 yards from goal before releasing a powerful left-foot shot that had the visitors’ keeper Paddy Roache scrambling across his goal.

Morecambe’s influential Adam McGurk then struck a curling effort from 20 yards that flashed just wide of a post.

On the half-hour mark Campbell-Ryce scored a tremendous goal to separate the sides who had been cancelling each other out until that point.

Picking the ball up just inside the Morecambe half, Campbell-Ryce speedily advanced forward before hitting a curling right-footed shot that arched beautifully into the top corner.

Buoyed by breaking the deadlock, Barnet extended their lead within five minutes when the unchallenged Akinde took the ball directly towards the Morecambe goal before releasing a well-timed pass into the path of Jack Taylor, who neatly steered his finish into the corner of the net.

With half-time looming Akinde could have put the game out of Morecambe’s reach when he hit the side netting after he had careered through their defence with a trademark surge down the left.

Morecambe were a revitalised outfit early in the second half after they had introduced top-scorer Kevin Ellison from the bench.

Substitute Callum Lang’s deflected shot rattled the Barnet crossbar in the 50th minute and another deflected effort, this time off of Clough, saw Barnet keeper Jamie Stephens relieved to collect the ball.

In the 67th minute Akinde won a penalty for the Bees when he was bundled to the ground by Roache. But the Bees striker couldn’t make the most of the opportunity, putting the spot-kick high over the bar.

Within four minutes of the miss Morecambe narrowed the deficit when Adam Campbell cut in from the left to curl his strike into the net to give his side a glimmer of hope.

Barnet were now on the defensive, plotting to keep Morecambe at bay and hoping to hit on the break.

A punt forward by Dan Sweeney latched onto by Akinde could have put the game beyond doubt, but despite Morecambe’s best efforts the Bees held on for a deserved and much needed three points.

Barnet: Stephens, Clough, Santos, Nelson, Blackman, Watson, J.Taylor, Vilhete, (Sweeney 54), Campbell-Ryce, Akinde (Akinola 87), Coulthirst Subs not used: Brindley, Tutonda.