Barnet 4
Morecambe 1
Attendance – 2012 (123 away)
Barnet secured a 4-1 win at Underhill over Morecambe as a Dani Lopez hat-trick following a Luke Gambin equaliser gained revenge for September’s 4-1 defeat at the Globe Arena.
Jack Redshaw opened the scoring in the first-half but the Bees dominated after the break to secure a vital win in Npower League Two.
The Bees made three changes from the side who lost 2-1 at Home Park last weekend with Andy Yiadom and Clovis Kamdjo dropping to the bench and Jake Hyde ruled out through injury.
In came Luke Gambin and Mauro Vilhete along with Ross Jenkins who made his first start for the club following a loan move Watford.
The first action of the half came in comical fashion as Edgar Davids left the referee on his backside with four minutes played.
One minute later the player-manager found Mauro Vilhete with a superb cross and the youngster had his shot well saved but the flag was raised for offside.
Ross Jenkins provided a calming influence in the centre throughout and with 11 minutes played his header from Dani Lopez’ cross was well saved.
The visitors had their first opportunity two minutes later when Graham Stack’s poor clearance saw Bondz N’Gala dispossessed before David Stephens cleared the danger.
Gambin and Vilhete both impressed in the wide areas and the former almost found the latter for what would have been the easiest of tap-ins after 15 minutes.
Chris McCready should have given the Shrimps the lead just after the half hour mark but despite controlling the ball down 10-yards from goal in acres of space he fired over the bar.
On 33 minutes Jack Redshaw did not make the same mistake as took down a Barry Roche punt with one touch before rolling the ball past Stack to make it 0-1.
Both sides had chances to get the second goal of the encounter as Lopez saw his flick saved before Redshaw’s flick deflected narrowly wide of the post before the break.
The Bees burst out of the blocks following the break and Gambin almost forced an equaliser but his low cross was cleared away to safety.
One minute later the ball was in the net and the Bees were level as Gambin headed home on his first Barnet start from a superb lobbed pass from Lopez.
The Bees continued to push and with 65 minutes played they took the lead as Davids free-kick to the back post was headed across goal to Lopez who tapped it in.
Five minutes later it was game, set and match as Roche clattered into Gambin for a penalty before being sent for an early shower. Lopez stepped up and after hitting the crossbar twice the net rippled to make it 3-1 Barnet.
The sensational Spaniard completed his hat trick and the rout with four minutes of normal time remaining from close range.
Barnet – Stack, Fuller, Stephens, N’Gala, Johnson; Davids, Gambin, Byrne, Jenkins; Lopez, (Sykes 90), Vilhete (Yiadom 73).
Subs not used – Barnes, Brown Kamdjo, N’Toko, Vose.
Morecambe – Roche; Haining, McCready, Fenton, Wright, Williams (Holroyd 71), McDonald, Drummond; Ellison (McGee 89), Redshaw, Allesandra (Arestudou 71).
Subs not used – Threlfall, Burrow.
