Telford 1 Imps 0
Tony Diagne and Jon Nolan replaced the suspended Jordan Cranston and Alan Power for this Vanarama Conference game against AFC Telford United at the New Bucks Head Stadium.
In the absence of Power, City were skippered by Hamza Bencherif and once he exchanged pleasantries with counterpart Ian Sharps and the match officials play got underway with the Imps kicking off.
City dominated the early stages with a second minute free-kick being followed by a corner shortly afterwards which was met by Tom Miller who saw his goalbound header palmed behind by James Montgomery who duly punched away the second flag-kick.
A sweeping City move in the eighth minute almost saw Ben Tomlinson open up the home defence but his final touch let him down after he was picked out by Kieran Wallace. At the other end Tony Gray fizzed an effort wide before the Bucks' first corner was cleared by Bencherif before an offside flag went up against Gray.
Shortly before the quarter hour mark Paul Farman tipped over a rasping John Disney drive and after the City defence dealt with the resultant corner the game entered a quiet spell with play concentrated in the middle third.
As the half approached its midway point Bencherif was harshly penalised for a push on Adam Farrell but justice was done when the free-kick was fired well over the bar. City's response saw Tomlinson flick a Wallace free-kick a foot over.
Tomlinson was booked on the half-hour mark after his challenge on keeper Montgomery was deemed worthy of a caution by referee Jones; this coming after a Jake Caprice free-kick looped into the air off the Telford wall.
A scrappy game continued until the 38th minute when Tomlinson floated in a peach of a cross but strike partner Jordan Burrow headed wide rather than in with just keeper Montgomery to beat.
The half ended after one additional minute of play.
HT: TELFORD 0 IMPS 0
Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half with Telford forcing a couple of early corners whilst at the other end a volley on the turn from Burrow flew over the bar.
Shortly afterwards, and in the 52nd minute, a quick City break ended with Everington crossing from the right but Nolan prodded wide at the back post. Eight minutes later Nolan was replaced by Delano Sam-Yorke with Tomlinson dropping back behind the front two. Before the switch Tomlinson had a snap-shot held by Montgomery.
City pressed again in the 63rd minute when good hold up play by Burrow saw him lay the ball off to Everington who fired in a low volley which curled inches wide of the right hand upright.
Telford's first change came midway through the second period with Glenn Matthews replacing Bradley Reid before a City corner was taken deep by Tomlinson and claimed well by Montgomery.
Shortly afterwards Sam-Yorke found the back of the net with a clinical finish but was harshly penalised for a high boot as he controlled the ball even though the defender ducked into the challenge.
As the game entered its final quarter hour ex-Imp Sam Smith flicked a header from a Clancy cross well wide before a great saving block from Bencherif saw him deny Clancy after he skipped his way past the tackles and into the area.
Alex Simmons replaces Jordan Burrow for the final 14 minutes whilst Ross Dyer replaces Sam Smith for Telford for the final nine as the hosts prepared to take a free-kick. When it was taken, by Farrell, Neill Byrne stooped and diverted a diving header past Farman to edge his side in front.
City's response led to Matthews being booked for a lunge on Keane but Bencherif's free-kick was charged down by Poku. Bencherif was then harshly penalised for hand ball in the box after a Simmons effort was charged down.
In the first of three added minutes Everington was booked following a foul on Poku and this was the only highlight of note before referee Jones brought play to a close.
FT: TELFORD 1 IMPS 0
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
17 Jake CAPRICE
2 Tom MILLER
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
6 Tony DIAGNE
20 Jordan KEANE
14 Jon NOLAN
18 Kegan EVERINGTON
21 Kieran WALLACE
11 Ben TOMLINSON
9 Jordan BURROW
subs
10 John MARSDEN
15 Delano SAM-YORKE (for NOLAN 60)
19 Alex SIMMONS (for BURROW 76)
23 Nat BROWN
30 Aidan GRANT
BOOKINGS: TOMLINSON (30), EVERINGTON (90+1)
AFC TELFORD UNITED
31 James MONTGOMERY
23 John DISNEY
4 Niall BYRNE
27 Ian SHARPS
11 Sean CLANCY
20 Godfrey POKU
24 Danny VENTRE
10 Tony GRAY
9 Adam FARRELL
30 Bradley REID
18 Sam SMITH
subs
25 Freddy HALL
26 Glenn MATTHEWS (for REID 68)
29 Ross DYER (for SMITH 81)
13 Andy PRYCE
GOAL: BYRNE (82)
BOOKING: MATTHEWS (83)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Bobby Jones
ASSISTANTS: John Matthews & Matthew Smith
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Mark Cunliffe
ATTENDANCE: 1,243
