Report
Manager Chris Moyses had the luxury of naming an unchanged squad for this rearranged Vanarama Conference game against Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.
Blustery conditions and a heavy looking pitch greeted the two teams as they were led out by referee Chris Powell and after the Imps kicked off a succession of throw-ins in the early stages made for a stop-start opening.
A bright start from the Imps saw them win the first corner of the game in the fifth minute but Sean Newton's delivery was cleared at the near post. Three minutes later a sweeping City move ended with the overlapping Jake Caprice seeing his cross take a deflection for a throw-in on the opposite flank.
This throe led to a City free-kick which was cleared for a corner; the flag-kick routine
ending with Newton curling just over from 25 yards. At the other end Eastleigh's first foray forward saw Constable win a corner which City easily dealt with.
A deflected Brian Howard effort led to another Eastleigh corner on the quarter hour mark but Paul Farman commanded his area well and punched clear. Shortly afterwards Hamza Bencherif did well to clear a Ben Strevens effort off the line after the home man fired a shot past Farman.
City were dealt a blow in the 18th minute when they were reduced to 10 men. Jon Nolan went in hard on Will Evans in the middle third and referee Powell was quick to brandish a red card for the Imps midfielder; before play restarted Delano Sam-Yorke and James Constable were both booked for their part in the afters which followed the dismissal.
A surging run forward from Sam-Yorke three minutes later was crudely ended by a cynical Joe Partington challenge and after the Eastleigh defender was cautioned, Alan Power fired the free-kick into the side netting.
The home side had a great chance to open the scoring in the 27th minute when Constable went down very easily under a Power challenge in the box. Referee Powell was quick to point to the spot but justice was done when Brian Howard chipped the spot-kick straight into Farman's gloves.
In the 33rd minute Jai Reason was booked for a crude block on Tomlinson and after a Newton free-kick was deflected out for a corner, a foul on Sam-Yorke gave Newton the chance to whip in another set-piece but this ended with Power firing well wide.
At the other end Midson headed over from six yards but he made amends for this miss five minutes before the break when he flicked in an Evans cross at the near post to break the deadlock.
City's response saw Adams go on a jinking run but his cross was cleared; two corners quickly followed with the second seeing home stopper Ross Flitney drop the ball only to claim as it bounced.
The incident-packed half ended after three additional minutes of play.
HT: EASTLEIGH 1 IMPS 0
Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half but it wasn't long before there was a switch as, six minutes after the restart, Conner Robinson replaced Marcus Marshall for the Imps.
It was a scrappy opening to the second period with chances few and far between but this changed in the 54th minute when Evans was allowed to get a low centre in from the right and Constable was allowed to get on the end of it; the striker sweeping in to double his side's lead.
Less than two minutes later Midson bagged his second of the game as the City defence was opened up again. The cross came from the opposite flank this time with Midson having plenty of time to pick his spot. Yemi Odubade replaced Brian Howard before play restarted.
Farman tipped a Reason free-kick behind for corner as the home side, now full of confidence, pressed again whilst at the other end Tomlinson appeared to be pushed as he went to meet a Caprice cross. Appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears though.
A second Eastleigh change saw Craig McAllister replace Reason in the 64th minute whilst three minutes later Jordan Burrow for Delano Sam-Yorke was the Imps' second substitution. Burrow was quickly in the action, heading a Newton cross wide of the target.
Eastleigh were happy to keep possession as the clock ticked on and in the 80th minute they had the opportunity to extend their lead when Newton tripped Evans in the box. Midson took the responsibility from the spot but was denied a hat-trick as Farman pulled off a superb save.
At the other end Bencherif connected with a Newton free-kick but the ball went straight at Flitney. Shortly afterwards Tomlinson was denied by a fine Flitney save before the City man fired the loose ball over the bar.
A Newton trip on Odubade saw the home side win another penalty but this time Farman wasn't needed as Evans blazed well over from 12 yard.
Whilst the home side were unable to score from the spot, they managed to bag a fourth from open play in the first of three added minutes with substitute McAllister, having been set up by Odubade, firing home with his effort going in via Farman's glove and the inside of the post.
The last action of the game saw Burrow fire over from close range after Tomlinson squared from the byline.
FT: EASTLEIGH 4 IMPS 0
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
17 Jake CAPRICE
23 Nat BROWN
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
3 Sean NEWTON
20 Charlee ADAMS
14 Jon NOLAN
8 Alan POWER
22 Marcus MARSHALL
11 Ben TOMLINSON
15 Delano SAM-YORKE
subs
6 Tony DIAGNE
9 Jordan BURROW (for SAM-YORKE 68)
12 Arnaud MENDY
16 Conner ROBINSON (for MARSHALL 51)
31 David PREECE
BOOKING: SAM-YORKE (20)
SENDING OFF: NOLAN (18)
EASTLEIGH
1 Ross FLITNEY
2 Dan SPENCE
8 Craig STANLEY
9 James CONSTABLE
10 Jai REASON
12 Jack MIDSON
14 Ben STREVENS
16 Will EVANS
17 Paul REID
19 Brian HOWARD
26 Joe PARTINGTON
subs
6 Chris TODD
7 Yemi ODUBADE (for HOWARD 57)
11 Craig McALLISTER (for REASON 64)
23 Hussein HEIDARI
21 Lewis NOICE
GOALS: MIDSON (40 & 56), CONSTABLE (54), McALLISTER (90+1)
BOOKINGS: CONSTABLE (20), PARTINGTON (24), REASON (33)
REFEREE: Chris Powell
ASSISTANTS: Mark Lawrence & Marc Whaley
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Gary Parsons
ATTENDANCE: 1,492
