Report
Loanee goalkeeper Nick Townsend replaced the injured Paul Farman and Jake Sheridan came in for Mitch Austin following his recall by Cambridge United for this Skrill Premier game against Kidderminster Harriers at a blustery Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium.
The conditions, as was the case at Hyde seven days ago, would no doubt play their part in proceedings as the afternoon wore on and once the pre-match formalities with the officials was done and dusted play got underway with City, with a strong wind behind them, kicking off attacking the Stacey West Stand.
Townsend got his first touch in the fourth minute when he held a low Jack Byrne effort following the first real attack of note. As the Imps responded, a late challenge on Alan Power by Kyle Storer saw referee Ben Toner dish out an eighth minute yellow card.
After Sean Newton drilled the resultant free-kick wide the visitors were forced to change things up front with Amari Morgan-Smith replacing a limping Michael Gash.
A long Tom Miller throw caused problems for the Harriers defence in the 13th minute with both Ben Tomlinson & Jake Sheridan having efforts blocked at close range before 'keeper Nathan Vaughan emerged with the ball in his gloves.
City kept up the pressure and in the 19th minute the lead came along when great persistence by Delano Sam-Yorke saw him win possession, skip past Chey Dunkley and fizz in a cross from the right which was met by BEN TOMLINSON who slotted home his 16th of the season from close range.
Two minutes after the restart Sheridan was harshly booked for a challenge on right-back Lee Vaughan and in the 24th minute the first corner of the game went Harriers' way with the ball crashing against ex-Imp Josh Gowling before hitting the underside of the bar. The ball ran free before Townsend managed to smother as the boots went in.
A City corner at the other end, which came after Nathan Vaughan tipped over a Newton cross-cum-shot, forced the visiting defence to scramble clear. Sheridan then flicked on a Newton ball for Sam-Yorke to run on to and after he squared Tomlinson had a shot charged down.
On the half-hour mark a high boot from Power on Callum Gittings saw him join Sheridan in the book and with Gittings off the field for treatment, Kyle Storer's free-kick was headed over by Gowling.
At the other end a Miller throw led to a corner which ended up with Thierry Audel firing well over the bar whilst shortly afterwards a superb move down the Imps' left saw Sheridan cross for Power who headed wide.
A couple of minutes before the break Sam-Yorke won a corner after he forced Dunkley to clear behind whilst midway through three additional minutes Morgan-Smith needed treatment after crashing into Audel as he conceded a free-kick.
HT: IMPS 1 HARRIERS 0
Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and City were quickly out of the traps, winning a corner which was cleared a minute after the restart.
Kidderminster's response saw Dunkley head a long throw goalwards but debutant Townsend reacted well, producing a superb save to tip the ball over. The corner ended with Gowling fouling Townsend to ease the pressure.
There was drama in the 56th minute when Lee Vaughan pushed Grant Brown to the deck following an incident in front of the City dugout and once things calmed down referee Toner brandished a yellow card, much to the annoyance of the home faithful.
Freddie Ladapo replaced Gittings for the visitors before Jordan was booked on the hour mark after scything down Vaughan as temperatures on the pitch threatened to boil over.
Things fortunately calmed down a bit as the game ticked into its final quarter; Santiago Aloi for Jack Byrne being the visitors' final substitution in the 70th minute.
Tomlinson won a corner off Dunkley from City's next attack and this led to another when Sam-Yorke was crowded out as he prepared to pull the trigger. The game remained 1-0 though as it went into its final quarter hour.
Three minutes later, though, the scoreboard showed a red number 2 next to City's name when, after Sam-Yorke created more problems down the right he squared and there to fire home via a deflection was BEN TOMLINSON for his second of the afternoon.
A minute after the restart ex-Imp Josh O'Keefe was booked for leaving a foot in on Power as the visitors' frustrations started to show.
Kidderminster threatened rarely during the next 10 minutes with City comfortably keeping possession to see the clock down. Three additional minutes also passed without further incident with Tomlinson's double seeing the Imps through to the maximum haul.
FT: IMPS 2 HARRIERS 0
LINCOLN CITY
30 Nick TOWNSEND
2 Tom MILLER
23 Nat BROWN
5 Thierry AUDEL
3 Sean NEWTON
4 Todd JORDAN
26 Charlee ADAMS
8 Alan POWER
12 Jake SHERIDAN
11 Ben TOMLINSON
18 Delano SAM-YORKE
subs
9 Danny ROWE
15 Dan GRAY
16 Conner ROBINSON
19 Jon NOLAN
31 David PREECE
GOALS: TOMLINSON (19, 78)
BOOKINGS: SHERIDAN (21), POWER (30), JORDAN (60)
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS
23 Nathan VAUGHAN
2 Lee VAUGHAN
3 Mickey DEMETRIOU
30 Josh GOWLING
6 Chey DUNKLEY
4 Kyle STORER
7 Jack BYRNE
18 Callum GITTINGS
25 Josh O’KEEFE
9 Michael GASH
11 Marvin JOHNSON
subs
15 Jamie GRIMES
22 Amari MORGAN-SMITH (for GASH 9)
24 Freddie LADAPO (for GITTINGS 58)
28 Santiago ALOI (for BYRNE 70)
1 Danny LEWIS
BOOKINGS: STORER (8), L VAUGHAN (57), O'KEEFE (79)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Ben Toner
ASSISTANTS: Gareth Mellor & Michael Bonage
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Nick Hopton
ATTENDANCE: 2,012 (145 visiting supporters)
