Loza at the double as King's Lynn Town sting the Bees of Barnet
Vanarama National League
Barnet 0, King's Lynn Town 2
A Jamar Loza brace proved decisive as King's Lynn Town returned to winning ways with a fine away performance at The Hive this evening.
The Jamaican international struck in each half as the Linnets bounced back from Saturday's 5-1 defeat at Sutton United, helped by JJ Hooper missing a first-half penalty for the hosts.
Linnets boss Ian Culverhouse made three changes to his line-up from the game at Gander Green Lane, with Chris Smith forming a central defensive trio alongside Rory McAuley and Danny Lupano.
Kairo Mitchell and Sam Kelly also returned to the starting XI, with Sonny Carey, Adam Marriott and Dayle Southwell dropping to the bench.
With their defensive frailities under scrutiny following the weekend, the Linnets would have been looking for a solid start to a match against one of the bigger clubs in the division.
But they had an early scare when Michael Petrasso was booked for simulation after going down in the box under a challenge from Lynn keeper, Archie Mair.
And they were punished further after six minutes when Loza picked up the ball in the middle of the field and drove forward virtually unchallenged into the box before firing a low shot past Scott Loach.
Though Barnet enjoyed much of the ball, they only forced Mair into saves from long range, while Loza and Kairo Mitchell both had chances to extend Lynn's lead.
The Bees were given a lifeline from the penalty spot shortly after the half-hour, though, when Lupano was adjudged to have brought down Anthony Wordsworth, only for JJ Hooper to blaze his spot kick over the bar.
Lupano, who was booked in the aftermath of the penalty decision, was replaced at half-time by Carey.
And the points were ultimately secured just past the hour when Loza curled in his second goal of the night.
Ben Nugent came closest to setting up a tense finish when he headed over, but the Lynn defence held firm for their first league shutout of the season.
The result lifts Lynn above their hosts and into 14th in the National League table, ahead of their weekend meeting at home to Dover Athletic, who themselves were beaten 5-1 at home tonight by Woking.
Barnet: Loach, McQueen, Preston, Nugent, Bimmon-Williams, Fonguck (Faal 72), Wordsworth, Taylor, Petrasso (Vasiliou 73), Hooper, Mason-Clark. Subs not used: Pascal, McBurnie, Azaze. Booked: Petrasso, Preston.
Lynn: Mair, Barrows, McAuley, Smith, Lupano (Carey 46), Brown, Clunan, Jarvis, Kelly, Mitchell (Southwell 87), Loza (King 76). Subs not used: Marriott, Fleming. Booked: Jarvis, Lupano, Brown.
