Match report...
Following the weekend success over Kidderminster Harriers, City boss Chris Moyses named an unchanged starting line-up for this Vanarama National League encounter against Altrincham at Sincil Bank Stadium. There was a switch on the bench, though, with Elliot Hodge coming in for Conner Robinson.
Heavy showers in the build-up to kick-off made for a very wet pitch as referee Ollie Yates led the two teams out of the tunnel and once the formalities with the captains was finalised, play got underway with the Imps kicking off as the rain continued to come down.
After a cagey opening, it took until the fourth minute for the first action of note with a City free-kick, given after Rhead was barged in the back by Gianluca Havern, leading to a corner which was hurriedly cleared by the Altrincham defence.
Three minutes later a Jack Muldoon snap-shot was blocked for another unproductive City corner but shortly afterwards, Bradley Wood curled in a cross, Rhead knocked the ball down and there to rifle home was skipper ALAN POWER for his second in as many games.
A couple of minutes later the Imps won a free-kick before Matt Sparrow had an effort deflect behind but shortly after this corner was cleared, Sparrow was the victim of a late Jake Moult challenge. The Altrincham man could easily have seen red but referee Yates deemed that a yellow card was sufficient punishment.
Sparrow was clearly in some discomfort on the sidelines and it wasn't long before he was replaced by Alex Simmons as the Imps prepared to defend an Altrincham corner. When the corner was played in deep, it was met at the back post by Ryan Crowther who rifled into the roof of the net to level matters.
A couple of minutes after the restart Farman was forced to palm behind a Lawrie free-kick before Moult went in late again, this time on Power, but nothing other than a free-kick to the Imps was the outcome
As the half approached its midway point, Tim Deasy held a 25-yard Craig Stanley effort whilst in the 26th minute the Altrincham stopper grabbed a Wood header from a Hawkridge free-kick at the second attempt.
Shortly afer the half-hour mark a good turn and shot by Muldoon saw him test Deasy from 25 yards and after a deflected Simmons effort lead to a City corner, Muldoon fired wide after Rhead knocked down a cross into the box into his path.
Ten minutes before the break Moult tugged Simmons back; referee Yates spoke to him and his skipper Havern following this latest offence but kept his cards in his pocket again. Three minutes later Moult was off; substituted by George Bowerman.
City pressed forward again in the 40th minute with a Simmons cross being sliced over his bar by Havern but nothing came from the corner as Deasy held Wood's downward header.
Mr Yates spoke to Rhead a minute before the break after pulling him up for a foul; the official then trotted across to Stanley and booked the City midfielder, presumably for dissent.
In the second of four additional minutes Bush was penalised for a trip on Crowther even though he appeared to win the ball with the free-kick leading to an Altrincham corner which was hacked to safety by Stanley.
HT: IMPS 1 ALTRINCHAM 1
The teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and it was the visitors who were the first to press with a Jordan Sinnott throw clipping Wood before going out for a corner which Bush cleared.
City's response saw Hawkridge have a free-kick cleared for a corner by Rankine before Simmons picked out Rhead but his header was easily held by Deasy. Simmons then had a shot blocked before Power saw his goalbound effort sliced over by Havern. Nothing came from the resultant corner though.
Shortly after the hour mark Rhead flicked on a Farman free-kick to Muldoon who saw his volley crash against the post. Rhead had an effort charged down before a Wood cross flew over a packed area.
City kept up the pressure with a Wood cross being met by Rhead who saw his header beat Deasy only to be superbly hooked off the line by a covering defender. Damian Reeves then replaced Ryan Crowther for Altrincham.
In the 71st minute good work from Simmons saw him win a corner on the left but again the delivery cam to nothing; a minute later Rhead flicked a ball on but it skidded away from Muldoon as he prepared to pull the trigger.
Altrincham defended two more City corners before Farman punched one clear at the other end after Waterfall overhit a pass back to his keeper. Liam Hearn then replaced Terry Hawkridge for the final 11 minutes.
A spell of Altrincham pressure saw Sinnott skip past the challenges before a curling shot wide from the edge of the box before a good piece of covering from Waterfall saw him clear for a corner as Rankine threatened.
Simmons forced another City corner as the clock ticked into its last five minutes but Power's delivery was cleared for a throw-in. At the other end Waterfall headed a ball back to Farman but referee Yates deemed he pushed Reeves in the process. Justice was done as Sinnott fired the free-kick well over.
Three added minutes brought about a corner to City which ended up with Deasy saving from Wood's header whilst the Altrincham keeper's last touch was to hold a low Power drive.
FT: IMPS 1 ALTRINCHAM 1
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
2 Bradley WOOD
4 Craig STANLEY
5 Luke WATERFALL
6 Chris BUSH
7 Jack MULDOON
8 Alan POWER
9 Matt RHEAD
12 Terry HAWKRIDGE
18 Lee BEEVERS
21 Matt SPARROW
subs
10 Liam HEARN (for HAWKRIDGE 79)
16 Alex SIMMONS (for SPARROW 15)
17 Elliot HODGE
23 Nat BROWN
13 Aidan GRANT
GOAL: POWER (8)
BOOKING: STANLEY (44)
ALTRINCHAM
17 Tim DEASY
3 Adam GRIFFIN
4 Jake MOULT
5 Gianluca HAVERN
6 Scott LEATHER
7 James LAWRIE
8 Simon RICHMAN
9 Michael RANKINE
19 Ryan CROWTHER
20 Jordan SINNOTT
22 Andy PARRY
subs
10 Damian REEVES (for CROWTHER 67)
12 Sam HEATHCOTE
14 Josh O’KEEFE
18 George BOWERMAN (for MOULT 38)
25 Ioannis STOUPPIS
GOAL: CROWTHER (16)
BOOKING: MOULT (13)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Ollie Yates
ASSISTANTS: Ben Cooke & Daniel Middleton
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Jonathan Burridge
ATTENDANCE: 1,893 (41 visiting supporters)
