Success for Lincoln City at Ashby Avenue
It was a fine sunny evening at Ashby Avenue as city arrived looking to build on the victory over Grantham last Friday. As with last week City played two teams, the first half line up being Farman, Wood, Waterfall, Brown, Beevers, Nolan, Stanley, Power, Heard, Rhead & Robinson.
Referee Gary Sutton got the game under way a few minutes late due to crowd congestion and early on city created the first chance with a Liam Hearn free kick collected under the bar by the Utd keeper. City were defending end frequented by the vocal 617SQN but it was City dominating the early exchanges and on 15 mins a city corner dropped under the bar but Connor Robinson was unable to put away from a tight angle. Two minutes later it was Liam Hearn who tested keeper Peat from the edge of the box.
City took a deserved lead on 17 mins when Luke Waterfall headed a Power free kick into an empty net after the keeper failed to cut out the danger. A minute later Jon Nolan cut in from the left and put in a low cross which was scrambled out for a corner. On 21 mins Utd had their best move of the game which was ended by a robust Bradley Wood tackle on the edge of the box, Mr Sutton blew the whistle but deemed the offence outside the box. Shot came in from Jack McGovern which keeper Paul Farman comfortably held on to. This was Utd's best spell and a snapshot from the edge of the area just beat the post. Hearn was put through on goal but got the ball caught under his feet allowing the defender to clear, from the resulting corner Nat Brown headed just over the bar. City finished the first half the stronger team, driven on by the impressive Craig Stanley and Liam Hearn. Half time Utd 0 City 1.
City's second half eleven:
Grant, Weledji, Bush, Howe, Tempest, Muldoon, Sparrow, Etherington, Simmons, Harrod and Bignall. City's second half got under way under the floodlights and early on city were looking in a positive mood, on 47 mins trialist Bignall turned and shot in one movement on the edge of the box only to see the keeper make a smart save.
On 49 mins City doubled their lead when good work on the right by Simmons ended with a telling back post cross and on hand was Shaun Harrod to apply the finish.
The impressive Matt Sparrow was dominating the midfield with time on the ball to pick a pass and on 55 mins he fed the ball out to the hard working Simmons who, after a mazey run crossed the ball. This was put out for a corner which Chris Bush headed over.
On 60 mins Bignall again impressed with a pacey run down the left which ended with yet another corner. Callum Howe managed a snap shot but it cleared the bar.
On 74 mins Utd broke into the box and only a last ditch tackle from Weledji denied the chance.
Aiden Grant had thus far had a quiet night but he reacted well to a long range shot on 80 mins. Within 30 seconds Sparrow at the other end got off a long range shot but it was well saved by the keeper.
With the tannoy announcer telling us the pies were now only £1.50, City ended the game with a spell of possession just running the clock down, the final act being a shot over the bar from Harrod.
Final score - Lincoln Utd 0 Lincoln City 2
