A second half header from Tom Champion was enough to seal an away victory for Barnet, as they overcame a stubborn ten-man Morecambe side at the Globe Arena. 

The Bees found themselves with a man advantage on 26 minutes when Peter Murphy saw red for a crunching tackle on Ruben Bover. 

Further controversy was to follow when Morecambe conceded a 32nd minute penalty – John Akinde was felled in the box but failed to convert the resulting spot kick. 

It was of little consequence however, as Champion’s bullet header earned Barnet a deserved three points from a dominant performance on the road. 

Interim Head Coach Ross Eames made two changes from Saturday’s defeat to Colchester United, as Ricardo Santos returned to the starting line-up and Bover made his full debut for the Bees. 

The alterations paid dividends for Barnet, despite a slow start to the match from both teams. 

Bover and Morecambe’s Kevin Ellison exchanged speculative long-range efforts in the opening period, before Mauro Vilhete headed Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s cross wide of the right post. 

It was the sending off that set the game alight, as Murphy’s reckless tackle left referee David Coote little choice but to reduce the home side to ten men. 

Barnet controlled the match from then onwards, and could have taken the lead just after the half hour mark when Akinde was pushed in the area. 

The striker’s penalty lacked power though, allowing Shrimps’ goalkeeper Barry Roche to make a comfortable save. 

Vilhete tested Roche again a minute later – the custodian getting down to stop a well hit low drive from the winger.  

The Bees were in the ascendency going into the break, but didn’t carve out a great deal of clear-cut chances in the first half. 

That all changed after the restart, as Barnet added a cutting edge to their play and posed a constant threat. 

Campbell-Ryce tormented Morecambe’s defence throughout and almost connected with a Charlie Clough cross on 50 minutes. 

The former Sheffield United man then burst into the box three minutes later, driving a low shot just wide of the near post.

Paul Mullin almost countered with a jinking run and shot on the hour mark, before the Bees finally took the lead. 

A Bover short corner was delivered into the area by Campbell-Ryce – Champion connected with the cross to head home from the edge of the six-yard box. 

Campbell-Ryce could have doubled Barnet’s advantage in the 82nd minute when his shot from a narrow angle was charged down by Alex Whitmore. 

Roche then had to be at his best to save Akinde’s low placed effort with his legs with four minutes left to play. 

Morecambe pushed for an equaliser in second half stoppage time, but Ross Eames’ side held on for a hard earned away victory. 

The Bees take on Portsmouth at The Hive on Saturday.