It was a game that changed in five minutes.

Barnet played well but after 65 minutes of their match against Morecambe the score was 1-1. Luke Gambin with the Bees goal after Jack Redshaw had put Morecambe ahead. With 70 minutes gone Barnet were 3-1 ahead.

Dani Lopez had poked home the second from close range. He then added a penalty after Barry Roche had brought down Gambin. The Shrimps goalkeeper was sent off for the foul.

The Bees controlled the remainder of the game and rounded the victory four minutes from time. Lopez completed his hat-trick with a close range finish after a Mark Byrne cross.

It final score was one few saw coming prior to kick off.

Edgar Davids took a risk in his team selection. The Dutchman made three changes to the side which were beaten at Plymouth Argyle. Andy Yiadom and Clovis Kamdjo dropped to the bench and Jake Hyde missed out due to an injury.

The inexperienced Gambin and Mauro Vilhete were brought in. New loan signing Ross Jenkins also came into the starting line-up.

Both sides began the contest tentatively. Neither over-committed players forward in the opening minutes but Redshaw did force Bees goalkeeper Graham Stack into a routine stop.

Gambin and Vilhete offered width to the Barnet attacks while Jenkins settled into the hosts’ midfield with ease.

The Bees hadn’t really threatened the Shrimps’ goal but in the 25th minute they should have gone ahead.

A cross into the penalty area was met by Lopez. His header struck the bar, the ball rebounded into the path of Davids but he headed wide from six yards.

The Dutch international should have scored. Barnet took encouragement from the chance and both Lopez and Byrne forced Roche into good stops.

Morecambe maintained a goal threat and Chris McCready smashed a half volley from 12 yards over the crossbar.

From their next attack, the Shrimps went ahead. Davids would have undoubtedly been frustrated with the ease of the goal as a long kick forward from Roche put Redshaw through and he coolly slotted past Stack.

Barnet looked to find an equaliser before the break and Byrne forced Roche into a stop from distance.

There were no changes to either side at the interval and the Bees started the second period on the attack.

Seven minutes after the restart Barnet scored the goal they deserved. Lopez received a pass 20 yards out, turned and scooped the ball into the path of Gambin who headed past Roche.

It proved a turning point in the game. The Bees took control of the contest and applied strong pressure on the visitors’ goal.

On 65 minutes Barnet went ahead. A Davids’ free-kick into the area was turned back across goal by Bondz N’Gala and Lopez tapped the ball home.

Not content to sit on their lead the Bees continued to push forward and added a third from the penalty spot.

A long pass forward caused confusion in the Shrimps’ defence and Gambin took the ball around Roche before being brought down.

Referee James Adcock decided to send off Roche and Lopez smashed home the spot kick. Despite their man disadvantage Morecambe created two opportunities to pull a goal back.

Kevin Ellison first smashed a shot wide before Redshaw fired well over the bar.

Barnet managed the game sensibly and were content to keep possession in their own half, although Davids had a shot stopped by substitute goalkeeper Andreas Arestidou.

With four minutes remaining Lopez added his third and the Bees fourth.

Byrne sent a cross along the six yard box and the Spanish striker tapped home from close range to seal victory. It was a deserved win for the Bees.

They controlled large periods of the match and created the better chances.

They travel to Oxford United on Tuesday night in confident mood and hopeful of further pulling away from the drop zone.

Barnet: Stack; Fuller, Stephens, N’Gala, Johnson; Davids, Byrne, Jenkins; Gambin, Vilhete (Yiadom 71); Lopez (Sykes 90).

Barnet substitutes: Brown, Kamdjo, Yiadom, Sykes, N’Toko, Barnes, Vose.

Morecambe: Roche; Haining, McCready, Fenton, Wright; Williams (Holroyd 71), McDonald, Drummond, Ellison (McGee 89); Redshaw, Alessandra (Arestidou 71).

Morecambe substitutes: Arestidou, Threlfall, Burrow, McGee, Holroyd.

Attendance: 2,012 (123).