It was a miserable afternoon in more ways than one in North London on Saturday with City slipping to a 5-2 defeat against Barnet at Underhill.

A strong wind and regular snow showers did nothing to warm the cockles of the 393-strong band of City fans who had made the journey whilst the scoreline made for a miserable journey home.

Barnet opened the scoring in the 28th minute when a ball over the top held up in the wind for Adam Birchall to slot past an advancing Alan Marriott and 10 minutes later Albert Adomah added a second from the spot after he was upended by Lee Ridley.

Anthony Thomas made it 3-0 a minute before the break when he converted a Birchall centre and 38 seconds after the restart Birchall netted his second and Barnet's fourth when he flicked home at the near post.

Midfielder Max Porter added a fifth when City failed to clear a long throw-in and although substitute Ben Wright pulled two back for City the damage had already been well and truly done.

Match report by John Vickers at Underhill:

Lee Ridley returned from injury and replaced Nat Brown in defence for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against Barnet at a somewhat chilly Underhill on Holy Saturday.

Ridley's return saw him slot into his customary left-back role and with Paul Green moving back to right-back, Nat Brown found himself on the substitute's bench. Also on the bench was Lenny John-Lewis, back in the fold quicker than expected following his recent thigh injury.

With the last four matches between the two sides at Underhill yielding 25 goals and with a pre-match snow flurry or two making the sloping surface decidedly greasy the scene was set for another enthralling afternoon of League 2 football.

Jon Moss from West Yorkshire was the man in charge and it was the Bees who kicked off with City starting down the infamous Underhill slope and with a strong wind at their backs.

The Imps were quick to press with Louis Dodds forcing the game's first corner in the second minute but his subsequent delivery from the quadrant was disappointing and the hosts were able to clear for a throw-in.

A forward ball from Danny Hone then saw Mark Stallard try his luck from 20 yards after he spotted Barnet 'keeper Lee Harrison off his line but his effort was easily claimed by the Bees' number one. At the other end Albert Adomah blazed a shot well over the bar from an Anthony Thomas knock-down.

Alan Marriott was then forced to save from both Thomas and Adomah who tried their luck from range whilst, on another day, a long ball over the top would have sent Thomas though but the wind held things up in City's favour.

City's reply saw Stallard send a chip inches over the bar from Kerr's lay-off whilst a pacy centre from Jamie Forrester almost connected with Stallard as he ghosted in on the six-yard line.

The Imps had Lee Ridley to thank shortly afterwards as he slid in to rob Thomas of a run on goal whilst in the 22nd minute a foul on Thomas by Hone gave the Bees a chance from a free-kick 30 yards out. The neatly-worked routine led to the hosts' first corner of the game and when this was played back into the danger aream Adam Birchall slid in only to slice over the bar.

Another foul, this time by Scott Kerr on Adomah, gave the Bees another chance from a set-piece but Ridley cleared with ease. Barnet's next attack, however, saw them grab the lead.

The goal came after the hosts won possession in the middle third and after a ball was played over the top, Adam Birchall ran on, got the ball under control and neatly slotted past an advancing Marriott. The clock was in the 28th minute and snow was falling as the net bulged.

Three minutes later and with the snow ceasing, Barnet won their second corner and after the Imps dealt with that danger, a ball out of defence set Dany N'Guessan free but his charge down on Harrison's clearance saw the ball go out for a goal-kick.

Barnet then went on the counter-attack in the 37th minute and in doing so, won a penalty when Adomah cut inside Ridley only for the City loanee to drag him to the deck. Adomah took the responsibility himself and promptly planted the ball into the top left corner of the net to double his side's advantage.

Before play restarted, Paul Green limped off and was replaced by Nat Brown and shortly after things got underway again Thomas sprinted down the left only to drive the ball across the face of the net and out for a goal-kick. It was all Barnet now with Beevers clearing a Thomas centre at the near post whilst the same home player blazed well over from their next attack.

Brown's first touch saw him head a Kerr free-kick into Harrison's gloves but it wasn't long before the Bees were pressing forward again and this time Thomas made no mistake when, after Birchall broke down the right and squared the ball, the Barnet number eight took a couple of touches before planting the ball across Marriott to make it 3-0 a minute before the break.

Two minutes of added time passed without incident so the Imps had it all to do in the second half if they were to come away with anything from the match.

HT: BARNET 3 IMPS 0

Lenny John-Lewis replaced Louis Dodds for the Imps at the start of the second half and with the half-time blizzard having eased, City got the game underway again but any hopes of a quick reply were dashed just 38 second in as Barnet made it 4-0. The goal came when a ball in to the area from the left saw Birchall nip in at the near post before he flicked past Marriott for his second of the game.

City's response saw N'Guessan had a shot deflected behind for a corner and when Kerr played it short to Clarke he saw his chip back into the area palmed away by Harrison. A Forrester centre was then inches away from connecting with an onrushing Stallard.

Good work from N'Guessan then saw him tee up Stallard who saw his goalbound effort well blocked by Harrison whilst an incident at the other endf saw Beevers end up on the floor following a challenge with Thomas. Michael Wait was on hand to administer treatment to Beevers' ankle with referee Moss happy to settle for a word in Thomas' ear.

Once play resumed both Stallard and N'Guessan had efforts blocked before Clarke fired well over and with the snow returning City forced their third corner of the afternoon, which came to nothing.

The Imps were made to pay for not making the most of this spell of pressure as, from a long throw-in from the Barnet right, midfielder Max Porter was on hand to fire past Marriott to make it 5-0.

Conditions were dreadful now, with snow sweeping into Marriott's face as Birchall saw his shot take a deflection for a corner. A yellow ball was now introduced with Forrester firing it straight at Harrison from Kerr's through ball.

A foul on John-Lewis by Burton then gave the Imps a chance from a free-kick 35 yards out but Harrison flung himself to his rght to claim N'Guessan's header from Kerr's delivery.

Kerr was then harshly booked for a foul on Josh Wright; a decision which saw referee Moss comer across to have a word with Iffy Onuora who was far from happy with the decision.

In the 72nd minute Kenny Gillet was replaced by Jason Puncheon for the home side and as he took to the field, Kerr was upended a foot outside the area giving the Imps a chance ftrom a decent position. Kerr took the kick himself and forced Harrison to tip the ball over for a corner.

With the snow having ceased again, it was back to a white ball as the corner was brought to a halt due to a push and before the free-kick could be taken Ben Wright came on for Mark Stallard.

Another City corner was hacked clear by the Barnet defence but from their next attack the Imps managed to pull one back when good work from Forrester saw him break free down the right and he squared for Wright to volley home with what was virtually his first touch of the game.

A tough challenge from behind on Forrester by Burton went unnoticed by referee Moss; the City striker requiring treatment as a result. When he came back on, he threaded a ball through to Wright who cooly slotted past Harrison to make it 5-2 with nine minutes on the clock.

Good pressure from John-Lewis then saw him force the onrushing Harrison to clear out for a throw-in and shortly afterwards Wright headed a Kerr centre at the Bees' goalkeeper from 12 yards out.

It was all City now as they went in search of a third; Ridley forcing corner number six with five minutes on the clock. Ashley Carew then replaced Adomah for the home side before a foul by Kerr on Birchall gave the Bees a free-kick which Puncheon fired well wide.

Puncheon then tested Marriott from long range before the Fourth Official indicated that four minutes were to be added on. In the first minute of added time Josh Wright was cautioned for a foul on John-Lewis and when the free-kick was played in, Hone was flattened as he went up for the ball with a Barnet defender. After he received treatment the free-kick could be taken but Forrester fired over the bar.

Fifteen seconds over the added time referee Moss brought things to a close.

FT: BARNET 5 IMPS 2

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Paul GREEN
5 Lee BEEVERS
27 Daniel HONE
30 Lee RIDLEY
11 Scott KERR
23 Shane CLARKE
17 Dany N'GUESSAN
19 Louis DODDS
8 Jamie FORRESTER
9 Mark STALLARD

subs
6 Nat BROWN (for GREEN 39)
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS (for DODDS h/t)
15 Ben WRIGHT (for STALLARD 74)
25 Martin PEMBLETON
13 Ayden DUFFY

GOALS: WRIGHT (76, 81)

BOOKING: KERR (70)

BARNET
1 Lee HARRISON
2 Joe DEVERA
3 Nicky NICOLAU
7 Albert ADOMAH
8 Anthony THOMAS
10 Adam BIRCHALL
14 Max PORTER
19 Sagi BURTON
21 Kenny GILLET
22 Jordan PARKES
24 Josh WRIGHT

subs
11 Jason PUNCHEON (for GILLET 72)
16 Ashley CAREW (for ADOMAH 86)
6 Michael LEARY
20 Ian HENDON
23 Kieran ST AIMIE

GOALS: BIRCHALL (28, 46), ADOMAH (38 pen), THOMAS (44), PORTER (63)

BOOKING: WRIGHT (90+1)

REFEREE: Jon Moss (West Yorkshire)
ASSISTANTS: Richard Beevor & Eamonn Smith
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Geoff Russell

ATTENDANCE: 2,115 (393 City supporters)