Lincoln City Football Club

There were six changes to the City side for this FA Trophy First Round tie at Bradford Park Avenue as manager Chris Moyses used the match as a chance for some of his squad members to get a run-out.

The hosts kicked off on a sodden surface which passed an early afternoon inspection and the Imps were the first to press with Jon Stewart catching a deep Wood cross as Callum Howe threatened at the back post.

The sodden pitch was evident as a high Wood ball plopped on the surface, forcing Stewart to sprint off his line and clear whilst at the other end Bradford won the first corner which ended with a header going well wide for a City goal-kick.

After a quiet spell Jason St Juste got the better of Chris Bush but his 16th minute cross into the box was dealt with by Wood whilst a couple of minutes later the lively winger had a cross-cum-shot held by Paul Farman.

Midway through the opening period Conner Robinson almost got on the end of a Nathan Blissett flick but the ball skidded out of play and as Avenue pressed forward, Alan Power got a timely block as Paul Marshall fired in a low effort from 25 yards.

In the 27th minute a corner to Bradford ended with Ryan Qualter looping a header on to the roof of the net. Three minutes later the hosts took the lead; a swift counter-attack ending with St Juste slotting through to Nathan Turner who fired past the advancing Farman.

Five minutes after this set-back Farman was at full stretch to tip over a St Juste effort after the home number 11 cut in from the right before letting fly with his left foot.

In the 41st minute Craig King, who had switched flanks with St Juste, kicked the ball away as Bush tried to take a throw-in but escaped with a ticking off. The half ended after an additional minute of play.

HT: BRADFORD 1 IMPS 0

City made a change during the break with Jack Muldoon coming on for Chris Bush. As a result of this switch Greg Tempest dropped to left-back.

It was a lively start to the second half by City with a long Wood throw leading to a corner six minutes in but Stewart rose high to claim Tempest's delivery. At the other end an Avenue corner was headed well over at the back post.

Matt Rhead replaced Nathan Blissett in the 56th minute and was quickly in the action, causing problems from a couple of long Wood throws.  On the hour mark Simmons was upended in the 'D' but Muldoon curled the free-kick over; before play restarted home keeper Stewart was booked for timewasting.

A clash of heads saw Robinson and Qualter in need of attention with the latter coming off worse, leaving the pitch with a badly bleeding nose. 

A mistimed challenge by Power on Turner saw the City skipper pick up a 69th minute caution and six minutes later things went from bad to worse when a stray pass from Everington lets in King who advanced and neatly doubled the hosts' lead.

In the 78th minute Terry Hawkridge replaced Alex Simmons and shortly afterwards a Waterfall header from a Muldoon corner was superbly kept out by Stewart. A late challenge on Robinson then earned Priestley a yellow card and when the free-kick came into the box, referee Simon Bennett spotted a push from a City player.

He also spotted Stewart lay out Rhead and was quick to dish out a straight red card to the Avenue keeper. After Stewart trudged off Tom Burgin replaces Marshall and went in goal.

Burgin was untroubled before James Walshaw replaced an injured Chib Chilaka for the hosts in the 86th minute and a minute later a lunge on Power by Qualter saw him pick up a yellow card. Robinson fired the free-kick well over the bar.

City had six additional minutes in which to salvage something and in the second of these they reduced the arrears when a Hawkridge corner was met by a crowd of players at the back post with Burgin unable to keep the ball out. It looked like Muldoon was the one with the final touch.

The second proved elusive, however, with Avenue holding out to secure their sixth successive win and a place in the second round of the FA Trophy.

FT: BRADFORD 2 IMPS 1

4 Craig STANLEY

7 Jack MULDOON (for BUSH h/t)

9 Matt RHEAD (for BLISSETT 56)

12 Terry HAWKRIDGE (for SIMMONS 78)

13 Aidan GRANT

GOAL: MULDOON (90+2)

BOOKING: POWER (69)

12 James WALSHAW (for CHILAKA 86)

14 Danny SCHOFIELD

15 Michael POTTS

16 Tom BURGIN (for MARSHALL 81)

17 James PRICE

GOALS: TURNER (30), KING (75)

BOOKINGS: STEWART (61), PRIESTLEY (79), QUALTER (87)

SENDING OFF: STEWART (80)

ATTENDANCE: 360