City started the season with a well-deserved point at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

Matt Green fired the Imps in front on the half-hour but the hosts responded before the break with Luke O'Nien heading Gareth Ainsworth's side level before Joe Jacobson gave his side the lead, firing in a low free-kick past Paul Farman.

The Imps drew level just four minutes into the second half when Josh Ginnelly netted following good work by Alex Woodyard with the best chance of a winner seeing Matt Rhead prod a Ginnelly cross wide.

In the end both sides were forced to settle for a point with a draw being a fair reflection on the afternoon's events.

Match report...

City's first game back in the EFL saw manager Danny Cowley hand debuts to four of his summer signings with Rob Dickie, Neal Eardley, Michael Bostwick and Matt Green all starting this season opener against Gareth Ainsworth's Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.

A pre-match shower made for a greasy top surface and the atmosphere was electric as the teams were led out of the tunnel; City being backed by around 1,500 travelling fans behind the goal.

Wycombe kicked off and were the recipients of an early free-kick but City repelled the danger whilst at the other end referee Graham Horwood had words with Matt Rhead and home skipper Adam El-Abd following a tussle.

Luke O'Nien fizzed a powerful drive well wide in the fifth minute and a minute later the Chairboys had keeper Scott Brown to thank as he got in a fine block to deny Josh Ginnelly who latched on to a Rhead flick-on before firing goalwards.

The first corner of the game went Wycombe's way in the 16th minute with Bostwick forced to head behind after Adebayo Akinfenwa caused problems in the box and when the flag-kick was floated in deep the Wycombe striker headed tamely wide.

City's response saw Alex Woodyard draw a foul out of Sam Saunders and when Ginnelly curled in the resultant dead ball there was an almighty goalmouth scramble before referee Horwood spotted a push and awarded the hosts a free-kick, much to the annoyance of the Imps' players and supporters alike.

On the half-hour mark a foul by Joe Jacobson on Green saw Ginnelly drill into the wall but the Imps kept the ball alive and when Nathan Arnold gained space on the right he squared for MATT GREEN to hammer the Imps in front with a clinical finish in front of the travelling hoards.

Before play restarted Rhead needed treatment after taking a blow to the side of his head and when play did resume, Wycombe's O'Nien hit the deck somewhat dramatically holding his shoulder before springing to his feet having failed to win a free-kick.

Temperatures were raised again as O'Nien tangled with Bostwick but the former ultimately had the last laugh as he got on the end of Jacobson's free-kick to head his side level. City's lead lasted six minutes.

Rhead picked up the season's first yellow card seconds after the restart following a foul on El-Abd and when keeper Brown pumped the ball forward Bostwick was penalised for another push, giving the hosts a free-kick in a central position just outside the 'D'. Jacobson took aim and fired low past Farman to edge his side in front.

The half ended after three additional minutes.

HT: WYCOMBE 2 IMPS 1

Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and the Imps were quickly out of the traps and four minutes after the restart drew level. Skipper Alex Woodyard was the architect; dummying his man before setting JOSH GINNELLY free and he did the rest, slotting neatly past the advancing Brown.

Two minutes later Ginnelly got in a great cross which found Rhead at the back post but the big man fired wide, although he did see the ball somewhat late behind a covering defender.

In the 56th minute a sliding challenge on Bostwick earned Dominic Gape a yellow card and a couple of minutes later City forced their first corner of the afternoon on their attacking right. Rhead, however, headed Ginnelly's delivery wide.

Rhead was replaced by Billy Knott in the 63rd before Sean Raggett was booked for questioning the referee's decision making and Alex Woodyard followed him following a late challenge on Gape. Home midfielder Saunders was also cautioned following a manic couple of minutes.

Wycombe's first switch saw Paris Cowan-Hall replace ex-Imp Dayle Southwell whilst a second change saw Matt Bloomfield come on for Saunders as the clock ticked into the 78th minute.

A City substitution followed with Jordan Maguire-Drew coming on for a tiring Ginnelly before Nathan Tyson hit the deck heavily following an aerial challenge and seemed to be in some discomfort as he received attention before getting to his feet.

The changes continued with Matt Green being replaced by Ollie Palmer for City whilst Paul Hayes came on for Tyson for the hosts as the game approached its closing stages.

A minimum of five additional minutes was indicated by the Fourth Official and in the fourth of these the Imps were forced to defend a corner with Knott heading Jacobson's near post delivery away to safety. Referee Horwood brought things to a close shortly afterwards.

FT: WYCOMBE 2 IMPS 2

LINCOLN CITY
1    Paul FARMAN
2    Sean LONG
7    Josh GINNELLY
9    Matt RHEAD
10    Matt GREEN
15    Rob DICKIE
16    Michael BOSTWICK
23    Neal EARDLEY
25    Sean RAGGETT
28    Nathan ARNOLD
30    Alex WOODYARD
    
subs
4    Elliott WHITEHOUSE
6    Callum HOWE
8    Ollie PALMER (for GREEN 84)
11    Billy KNOTT (for RHEAD 63)
14    Jordan MAGUIRE-DREW (for GINNELLY 79)
26    Harry ANDERSON
21    Josh VICKERS

GOALS: GREEN (31), GINNELLY (49)

BOOKINGS: RHEAD (38), RAGGETT (64), WOODYARD (66)


WYCOMBE WANDERERS    
1    Scott BROWN
2    Sido JOMBATI
3    Joe JACOBSON
4    Dominic GAPE
6    Adam EL-ABD
7    Sam SAUNDERS
15    Dayle SOUTHWELL
16    Michael HARRIMAN
17    Luke O'NIEN
20    Adebayo AKINFENWA
23    Nathan TYSON

subs
8    Marcus BEAN
9    Paul HAYES (for TYSON 89)
10    Matt BLOOMFIELD (for SAUNDERS 78)
12    Paris COWAN-HALL (for SOUTHWELL 69)
21    Max MULLER
22    Nick FREEMAN
13    Barry RICHARDSON

GOALS: O'NIEN (37), JACOBSON (40)

BOOKINGS: GAPE (56), SAUNDERS (67)


MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Graham Horwood
ASSISTANTS: Rob Smith & Paul Kelly
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Darren Wilding

ATTENDANCE: 5,538 (1,433 City supporters)