Report
There were three changes to the City line-up for this FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Qualifying Round Replay against Worcester City at Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium with Todd Jordan, Bohan Dixon and Conner Robinson all handed starts with the suspended Jon Nolan, Luke Foster and Nick Wright dropping out.
Worcester kicked off attacking the Stacey West Stand but it was the Imps who were the first to press forward with Robinson crudely taken out by full-back George Williams as he sprinted down the flank.
The second minute challenge saw players from both sides square up to each other and with Robinson grounded and in some discomfort, referee Darren England booked Willliams before cautioning Ben Tomlinson for his part in the incident.
Robinson was clearly in some discomfort as he was helped to his feet and down the tunnel before Nick Wright came on as his replacement a good five minutes later.
The Imps remained on the offensive with Dixon winning a free-kick on the left and the said City player met Alan Power's subsequent delivery only to direct his header straight at Jose Veiga.
Worcester responded with a Williams cross leading to the game's first corner but this ended up with Danny Glover volleying well wide. Good play from Dixon shortly afterwards saw him fizz in a deflected effort for a City corner which was cleared to Power who saw his dipping volley tipped over by Veiga.
Another unproductive corner quickly followed as the Imps kept up the pressure but the game remained goalless as the midway point in the opening period came and went.
The game came to life shortly after the half-hour mark when some patient build-up play down the City right ended with Jordan whipping in a peach of a cross and there to meet it was BEN TOMLINSON who powered in a header which nestled in the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.
Tom Miller came close to adding a second when he drilled over following a deflected Tomlinson cross whilst at the other end, and after Aaron Williams replaced Daniel Nti for the visitors, Glover blazed well over following a poor clearance from Paul Farman.
It wasn't long before the Imps pressed forward again and when Jordan fed Newton down the left, the latter took a couple of touches and whipped in a deep cross; there to meet it was TOMLINSON who headed past Veiga for his second of the afternoon and seventh of the season.
Home debutant Marlon Jackson had an effort well held by Veiga shortly after the restart as the Imps went for the jugular whilst the half ended after three additional minutes.
HT: Imps 2 Worcester 0
Luke Foster replaced Nat Brown at the back prior to the start of the second half and the Imps were quickly out of the traps, winning a corner which was hurriedly cleared whilst a minute later Tomlinsonn was set free down the middle but Veiga did enough to put him off, sending him wide of the target before Wright was flagged offside.
A quiet spell ensued before the Imps made a third and final subsitution with Jake Sheridan coming on for Marlon Jackson in the 61st minute and he was immediately in the action, crossing from the right before Dixon set up Jordan who saw his low drive tipped behind for a corner by Veiga. The corner ended up seeing Boyce fire over from 12 yards.
City's next foray forward saw them extend the lead - Newton claiming a second assist with BOHAN DIXON sweeping home his cross with a clinical finish into the top corner for his third of the season.
Reece Hales and Ethan Moore replaced Danny Glover and Sam Smith for the shell-shocked visitors before fired wide following a decent passage of possession by the Imps 15 minutes from the end.
A Worcester corner, their third of the game and first of the half, ended with Richard Taundry seeing yellow for a late challenge on Sheridan. City's next attack saw Tomlinson chase down a loose ball before winning a corner on the left.
Boyce saw yellow with seven minutes on the clock following a mistimed challenge midway inside the City half whilst at the other end a pacy Newton cross flew past everyone in the box.
Two more City corners followed as the Imps pressed for a fourth whilst Tomlinson was denied a third goal when his snap shot from a Power cross was blocked by a visiting defender.
In the last of three added minutes Farman was forced to tip over a dipping effort from range but when the Imps cleared the resultant corner and got the ball up the other end, referee England brought things to a close with the Imps safely through to the First Round and a home tie against Plymouth Argyle.
FT: Imps 3 Worcester 0
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
2 Tom MILLER
5 Andrew BOYCE
23 Nat BROWN
3 Sean NEWTON
4 Todd JORDAN
8 Alan POWER
17 Bohan DIXON
16 Conner ROBINSON
22 Marlon JACKSON
11 Ben TOMLINSON
subs
6 Mamadou FOFANA
7 Waide FAIRHURST
10 Nick WRIGHT (for ROBINSON 8)
12 Jake SHERIDAN (for JACKSON 61)
15 Dan GRAY
27 Luke FOSTER (for BROWN h/t)
31 David PREECE
GOALS: TOMLINSON (31, 44), DIXON (65)
BOOKING: TOMLINSON (4), BOYCE (83)
WORCESTER CITY
1 Jose VEIGA
2 George WILLIAMS
3 Ellis DEENEY
4 Tom THORLEY
5 Graham HUTCHISON
6 Sam SMITH
7 Niall THOMPSON
8 Richard TAUNDRY
9 Daniel NTI
10 Danny GLOVER
11 Ebby NELSON-ADDY
subs
12 Shabir KHAN
14 Aaron WILLIAMS (for NTI 38)
15 Reece HALES (for GLOVER 69)
16 Ethan MOORE (for S SMITH 69)
17 James LEMON
18 Josh SMITH
23 Matt SERGEANT
BOOKINGS: G WILLIAMS (3), TAUNDRY (77)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Darren England
ASSISTANTS: Mark Hutchinson & Akil Howson
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Stuart Richardson
ATTENDANCE: 1,344 (45 visiting supporters)
