Match report...
City boss Chris Moyses made four changes to his starting line-up for this Vanarama National League game at Aldershot Town, although two of these were enforced with goalkeeper Paul Farman out injured and Alan Power suspended.
The other changes saw Chris Bush and Terry Hawkridge drop to the bench with the four coming in being Aidan Grant in goal, Craig Tempest and Greg Tempest in midfield and loanee Kyle Wooton in attack.
City, captained by top scorer Matt Rhead, kicked off following a minute's silence on this, Remembrance Day, and it was a cagey start to proceedings with ply concentrated in the middle third throughout the opening five minutes.
The first half chance saw Jim Stevenson see a shot clip a team mate before going out for a goal-kick following a free-kick into the City box, this coming before Dipo Akinyemi drilled wide with Grant getting his angles spot on.
At the other end Jack Muldoon had a shot deflect behind for a corner which saw Tempest pick out Rhead only for the striker to head wide. An Aldershot corner was then cleared by Tempest before a decent save by Grant saw him palm away a Dan Walker effort.
In the 14th minute Tempest went close with a strike from 12 yards after Rhead helped on a Bradley Wood throw-in and after a quiet spell, Akinyemi and Walker combined eight minutes later before the latter saw the ball bounce off him and out for a goal-kick.
On the half-hour mark good pressure from Tempest following a Rhead flick-on forced a corner on the City left but this ended with Tempest over-hitting his centre whilst another City corner, this time on the opposite side, led to a game of head tennis before Wootton nodded just over.
A good run and strength from Wood saw him force another corner in the 36th minute nd after this ended with Charlie Walker felling Stanley 25 yards out, a deflected Tempest free-kick lead to yet another City corner.
This one came up with the goods as, after Tempest picked out Waterfall his header found KYLE WOOTTON who initially hit the woodwork before the ball came back to him and he duly fired in a follow-up effort which nestled in the back of the net via the inside of he same post.
Richards stabbed over as the hosts looked for a quick response and just before a minimum of two additional minutes was indicated, there was a farcical decision by referee Alan Young; Rhead was clattered in the back and left in need of treatment but somehow the rookie official awarded a free-kick to the Shots!
HT: ALDERSHOT 0 IMPS 1
There were no change in personnel as Aldershot restarted proceedings and the hosts were the first to press with Callum Howe forced to clear a low Richards cross out for a throw-in which came to nothing.
City's response saw Stanley and Rhead exchange passes before the former saw his goalbound drive kept out by Phil Smith. At the other end, and 11 minutes after the restart, a deep cross was met by Richards at the back post but the Aldershot man headed well over.
Shortly before the hour mark a Muldoon cross found Wootton but somehow keeper Smith kept out his snap-shot whilst at the other end Grant failed to hold a looping cross before he was helped out by his defence.
The City back-line were put under pressure again in the 65th minute but this time they were breached when a half-cleared corner was played back in and there to flick home a header was Akinyemi for the leveller.
Wood went on a surging run shortly after the restart, with Saville fortunate to see his sliced clearance loop into Smith's gloves. At the other end a snap-shot from Stevenson flew just wide.
With the game in the 76th minute Wootton forced Smith in to a save low to his left and this proved to be his last touch as he was replaced by Liam Hearn shortly afterwards.
A Beevers throw down the flank leads to a City corner which ended up with the hosts winning a free-kick but as the Imps kept the ball in the attacking third, JACK MULDOON let fly with an instinctive drive from 25 yards and duly saw his effort fly past a wrong-footed Smith to edge City in front again.
A minute later Kegan Everington replaced Craig Stanley in the middle of the park whilst the hosts' first switch saw Luke Oliver come on for Jim Stevenson as the clock ticked towards the 83 minute mark.
Everington was quickly in the action, forcing Smith to get down and gather his long-range skidder before Terry Hawkridge replaced goal scorer Muldoon on the City right. Shortly before a minimum of five additional minutes were to be played Sam Hatton replaced a limping Jack Saville for the Shots.
In the second added minute Wood was booked after he kicked the ball away after the Imps won a goal-kick and three minutes later Sparrow joined him following a trip on Richards.
City held out to earn themselves a fully deserved maximum haul on their travels.
FT: ALDERSHOT 1 IMPS 2
LINCOLN CITY
13 Aidan GRANT
2 Bradley WOOD
3 Greg TEMPEST
4 Craig STANLEY
5 Luke WATERFALL
7 Jack MULDOON
9 Matt RHEAD
18 Lee BEEVERS
21 Matt SPARROW
24 Kyle WOOTTON
26 Callum HOWE
subs
6 Chris BUSH
10 Liam HEARN (for WOOTTON 77)
12 Terry HAWKRIDGE (for MULDOON 88)
15 Kegan EVERINGTON (for STANLEY 81)
30 Richard WALTON
GOALS: WOOTTON (38), MULDOON (80)
BOOKINGS: WOOD (90+2), SPARROW (90+5)
ALDERSHOT TOWN
1 Phil SMITH
3 Sean McGINTY
4 Damon LATHROPE
5 Jack SAVILLE
8 Jim STEVENSON
10 Charlie WALKER
11 Tom RICHARDS
12 Cheye ALEXANDER
14 Omar BECKLES
19 Dan WALKER
20 Dipo AKINYEMI
subs
6 Luke OLIVER (for STEVENSON 83)
7 Sam HATTON (for SAVILLE 90)
13 Dan THOMAS
18 Chris BARKER
GOAL: AKINYEMI (65)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Alan Young
ASSISTANTS: Paul Evans & Ben James
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Ben Knight
ATTENDANCE: 1,367 (154 City supporters)