Promotion hopefuls Lincoln City inflicted Barnet to their third successive away defeat with a 1-0 victory at Sincil Bank on Saturday.
Paul Fairclough stuck with the same starting 11 that defeated Stockport County at Underhill a week prior, although their was a recall to the substitutes bench for the transfer listed Nicky Bailey.
Lincoln were the better side in the opening 30 minutes of the game with Barnet struggling to retain possession of the ball against their high flying rivals.
With just five minutes gone Ross Flitney failed to hold onto a Scott Kerr free kick, but the Bees custodian recovered to block Junior Mendes' weak effort with Ismail Yakubu able to complete the clearance.
Andy Hessenthaler had Barnet's first effort on goal in the 18th minute in a rare surge forward by the Bees, but the midfielders drive, after he was set-up by Jason Puncheon, drifted the wrong side of Alan Marriott's right hand post.
A minute later and Hessenthaler was again in the thick of the action when he was able to head an Adie Moses strike off of his own line after the Lincoln man connected to another Kerr set piece.
Dany N'Guessen then headed over for the Imps in the 21st minute, whilst Flitney did well to save a Mendes effort with his legs two minutes later after the on-loan striker from Notts County, making his Lincoln debut, shrugged off a Simon King challenge.
At the other end, Oliver Allen saw his weak effort from distance held by Marriott, whilst Dean Sinclair and Puncheon saw efforts grasped by the Imps goalkeeper two minutes before half time as Barnet ended the first half the stronger of the two sides.
The Bees continued the ascendancy at the start of the second half and, with just two minutes in, Fairclough's side came within inches of taking the lead when Ismail Yakubu connected to a Barry Cogan cross, but, from six yards out, the defender saw his effort take blocked almost on the goal line and go behind for a corner kick.
Adam Birchall then shot over for the Bees before disaster struck in the 52nd minute when the home side were to go ahead, somewhat against the run of play.
Lee Frecklington got lucky when his attempted pass square hit Sinclair on the edge of the penalty area before the ball landed back at the Imps midfielder's feet and, with Joe Devera caught too far over to the right, the Lincoln youngster burst into the penalty area before sending his 15 yard drive from the left of the box into the top corner of Flitney's goal for his 10th goal of the campaign.
Two minutes later and Lincoln nearly made it two when Nat Brown headed a Kerr free kick wide, before Allen's clever chipped effort from a long King ball forward nearly caught Lincoln goalkeeper Marriott out at the other end, but the Imps man backtracked to tip the in-form Barnet strikers effort over his own crossbar.
With an hour on the clock Sinclair had a great chance to level the scores when he raced onto a Puncheon pass, but from ten yards the midfielder's shot lacked power and was comfortably held by Marriott.
Frecklington and Puncheon (three times) then had efforts go wide for both the Imps and the Bees respectively, whilst three minutes from time Lincoln substitute Spencer Weir-Daley should have sealed the points for the Imps, but from six yards the on-loan man from Nottingham Forest could only direct his header over the crossbar following a fine Nicky Eaden cross.
The fourth official signalled three minutes of stoppage time and, with barely seconds remaining of that, Barnet came within inches of equalising when Bees substitute Nicky Bailey latched onto a poor Amoo pass before finding Birchall in the penalty area with a precision pass forward, but the former Mansfield Town man saw his effort from 15 yards go just wide of a post with Marriott beaten.
On second half chances and possession Barnet deserved a point, but that's football. For Lincoln, meanwhile, automatic promotion and a place in League 1 next season is certainly on the agenda.
Attendance: 4339
Away: 208
By Jonathan Sugar
