City notched up their biggest victory of the season on Saturday afternoon, defeating Barnet 4-1 at Sincil Bank Stadium.

The Imps opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Ben Wright converted a Dany N'Guessan centre and they were given the chance to double their advantage just after the half-hour mark when Wright was pushed over in the box by Ismail Yakubu. Jamie Forrester calmly netted from the spot.

Louis Dodds made it 3-0 five minutes into the second half, curling home after the Imps opened up the Barnet defence although the sending off of Bees' defender Joe O'Cearuill for a crude challenge on Lee Frecklington seemed to lift the visitors, who pulled one back through Adam Birchall just before the hour mark.

City were pushed onto the back foot for the majority of the final stages but wrapped things up on the counter-attack when substitute Mark Stallard played in Wright who capped another impressive showing by producing a neat finish for his sixth of the season.

Match report by John Vickers:

Louis Dodds for the suspended Gary Croft was the only change for this Coca-Cola League 2 game against Barnet at Sincil Bank although there was a welcome return to the bch for both Mark Stallard and Adie Moses. The change to the starting line-up saw Owain Warlow drop to left-back whilst Dodds started wide left.

Bitterly cold as the teams made their way out on to the pitch and City - fielding the seventh youngest starting team since the Second World War - were quickly on the attack with Hamza Bencherif, up for a throw-in, heading a Jamie Forrester centre into the arms of Barnet 'keeper Lee Harrison.

An injury to Liam Hatch forced the Barnet man to receive treatment - from City's Michael Wait as the Bees didn't have a physio amongst their ranks - before Dany N'Guessan was bundled over by Joe O'Cearuill. Paul Green took the free-kick which was headed onto the roof of the net by Ben Wright.

At the other end, Barnet won the first corner of the game which was aded clear by Danny Hone but as the loose ball bobbled around, Bencherif was penalised for a push on Ismail Yakubu on the edge of the box. The City wall stood firm though as Jason Puncheon tried his luck from 25 yards.

City's response was immediate and clinical as, with the game in the ninth minute, BEN WRIGHT fired in the opening goal.

Dany N'Guessan was the architect, latching on to a Jamie Forrester pass before shrugging off a couple of markers before playing in a pin-point centre to Wright. The big striker did the rest as he struck the ball early and although 'keeper Harrison got a hand to his effort, the ball had enough pace on it to cross the line before a defender could attempt to clear.

Six minutes later a high challenge on Green by Puncheon saw the Barnet man pick up the game's first yellow card whilst Dodds drilled just wide following another City attack.

Frecklington then fizzed a half-volley inches wide of the mark before the Imps' won their first and second corners of the afternoon, the latter seeing Wright head wde.

Barnet responded by winning a corner of their own midway through the half but the young City back-line stood firm, although 'keeper Ben Smith looked to be in some discomfort as he went to take a free-kick just before the Bees forced another coupled of flag-kicks as they went in search of an equalising goal.

City had 'keeper Smith to thank in the 28th minute when a drilled effort fell to Birchall but he was denied thanks to a great save with his legs from the loanee stopper.

At the other end, a looped centre from Kerr to Wright ended up with the striker being pushed to the deck by Yakubu. Referee David Foster was on the spot - and pointed to the spot - with the Barnet defender having no complaints. Up stepped JAMIE FORRESTER and he continued his impressive run of form in front of goal against Barnet by neatly slotting past Harrison for his fourth of the season.

Barnet's frustrations saw Liam Hatch lead with the arm on Warlow; referee Foster having a quiet word in his shell, whilst good work from N'Guessan saw him force a corner down the right as City pressed for a third.

Two minutes before the break, Wright went up with Neil Bishop for a header and - after the Barnet man came off worse - referee Foster had a chat with the City man before dishing out a yellow card.

The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three added minutes were to be played and these passed without incident; although an N'Guessan cross made it four corners apiece as Kerr was grounded after taking a knock in the build up to the move which led to the flag-kick. The clock was showing 50 minutes when Kerr got back to his feet whilst the corner was fired over by Forrester after the ball was played to him by Frecklington.

The opening period eventually came to a close almost six minutes over the 45 with the Imps a deserved two goals to the good.

HT: IMPS 2 BARNET 0

Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second period and City were first to press with a deflected N'Guessan cross being claimed at his near post by Harrison.

The Imps' next attack saw them carve open the Bees' backline with LOUIS DODDS making it 3-0 in the 50th minute. The goal came after Frecklington and Forrester combined before the ball was played to Dodds on the right. The Leicester loanee did the rest, curling a great effort past Harrison and into the back of the net.

Barnet's response saw them have an effort ruled out for offside after a clever free-kick found Yakubu ahead of the City back-line whilst the Imps replied with Kerr feeding Forrester but the latter took one touch to many and the Barnet defence were able to clear their lines.

City's next break forward saw Frecklington sprint forward with the ball before being crudely upended by Joe O'Cearuill. The challenge was clearly pre-meditated and, as he was also the last man, out came the red card with referee Foster on the mark to make one of the easiest decisions of the season.

The fact that they were down to 10 men didn't bother the Bees though as just before the hout mark they pulled one back when ADAM BIRCHALL was on hand to pick up a loose ball in the box before drilling past Smith.

Anthony Thomas replaced Ashley Carew for the visitors in the 62nd minute and he was quickly in the action, threading a ball through to Michael Leary whose subsequent appeals for hand ball against Hone fell on deaf ears.

Barnet were now enjoying their best spell of the game, although Wright came close when he dragged a left-footed shot wide of the target, with Birchall denied a run on goal when the assistant referee lifted his flag for offside.

An attempted lob by Jamie Forrester just fell a foot short with 'keeper Harrison able to gether the ball on his six-yard line and from the next attack, a Green free-kick was headed behind for a corner by Leary.

At the other end Smith did well to palm away a goalbound Birchall header as Barnet pressed again with 15 minutes on the clock.

City made their first switch in the 79th minute with Dany N'Guessan making way for Mark Stallard, who received a fine reception on his comeback from injury. The change saw Forrester move left with Stallard slotting up front alongside Wright.

Stallard was quickly on the ball as he went on a surging run forward only for his final touch to let him down as he tried to cut inside his marker whilst an offside flag against Wright denied Frecklington who fired home when the ball fell loose to him.

Smith saved well from Hatch before brilliantly tipping behind from Puncheon as the visitors ended brightly whilst Jamie Forrester was replaced by Lenny John-Lewis with 90 seconds of normal time remaining.

In the first of two minutes of added time, BEN WRIGHT made sure of the points thanks to an excellent finish after he was set free by a neat touch from Stallard. Wright showed great strength to hold off his man as he bore down on goal and, as Harrison sprinted off his line, he coolly fired home to round off an excellent individual performance as well as a fine team effort.

FT: IMPS 4 BARNET 1

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
28 Ben SMITH
2 Paul GREEN
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
27 Daniel HONE
20 Owain WARLOW
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
17 Dany N'GUESSAN
19 Louis DODDS
8 Jamie FORRESTER
15 Ben WRIGHT

subs
9 Mark STALLARD (for N'GUESSAN 79)
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS (for FORRESTER 89)
4 Adie MOSES
26 Jamie HAND
1 Alan MARRIOTT

GOALS: WRIGHT (9 & 90+1), FORRESTER (31 pen) DODDS (50)

BOOKING: WRIGHT (44)

BARNET
1 Lee HARRISON
2 Joe DEVERA
4 Neal BISHOP
5 Ismail YAKUBU
6 Michael LEARY
7 Liam HATCH
10 Adam BIRCHALL
11 Jason PUNCHEON
16 Ashley CAREW
21 Kenny GILLET
22 Joe O'CEARUILL

subs
3 Nicky NICOLAU
8 Anthony THOMAS
9 Giuliano GRAZIOLI
14 Max PORTER
18 Rob BECKWITH

BOOKING: PUNCHEON (16)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: David Foster (Tyne & Wear)
ASSISTANTS: Alan Parker & Alan Sheffield
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Craig Evans

ATTENDANCE: 3,549 (155 visiting supporters)