Controversial extra-time penalty puts York through...
Nine changes were in the City starting line-up for this Buildbase FA Trophy Semi-Final Second Leg tie against York City at Sincil Bank, with the Minstermen a goal to the good following their 2-1 success at Bootham Crescent on Tuesday evening.There was a fantastic atmosphere inside the stadium as the teams emerged from the tunnel and prior to kick off, Alan Power was presented with a special shirt to mark his 250th first team appearance for the Club, which he recently achieved.
City kicked off attacking the Bridge McFarland Stand and York keeper Kyle Letheren was quickly forced to claim a couple of early Bradley Wood crosses as the Imps went for the jugular early on.
On the same flank in the seventh minute ex-Imp Sean Newton pulled back Nathan Arnold with referee Ben Toner awarding City a free-kick in a dangerous position and although this was cleared, the Imps kept the ball in the attacking third with Power forcing Letheren to tip behind at full stretch. The corner was helped on by Luke Waterfall before Sean Raggett prodded wide at the back post.
A mistimed challenge on Jon Parkin saw Power pick up a 14th minute early yellow card and seven minutes later following a City free-kick a Newton trip on Power gave the Imps a free-kick 20 yards out but Terry Hawkridge fired the ball straight at the York wall.
In the 26th minute a great Calder cross was cleared for a corner by Newton as a spell of Imps pressure mounted and when Hawkridge picked out Waterfall with a deep flag-kick the City skipper saw his header crash against the post.
On the half-hour mark Rhead picked up a harsh yellow card following a tussle with Daniel Parslow and six minutes later a rugby tackle on Wood close to the corner flag earned Amari Morgan-Smith a caution. Referee Toner spoke to York skipper Heslop after more shenanigans involving Morgan-Smith before Farman was able to take the free-kick.
Three minutes before the break Farman was bundled over by Oliver as he prepared to bowl a ball out seeing the yellow card come out of the referee's pocket for the fourth time.
The half ended after three added minutes with an Arnold snap-shot fizzing wide of the target at one and and a Morgan-Smith effort from range going wide at the other.
HT: IMPS 0 YORK 0 (AGG 1-2)
Neither side made any changes as York restarted proceedings and the first action of the second half saw Rhead go to ground following an aerial clash with Bencherif as Newton hurled a throw into the City box. The big man was able to resume his duties after treatment.
After a quiet spell, Josh Ginnelly was brought on for Riccardo Calder in the 58th minute with the change seeing Hawkridge drop to left-back. Ginnelly was quickly in the action, nipping in front of Bencherif but his prod past the advancing Letheren didn't have enough pace on it and a covering defender was able to clear
Billy Knott for Alan Power was City's second switch in the 62nd minute before Ginnelly had an effort palmed behind by Letheren three minutes later. This corner leads to another on the opposite flank and when Waterfall headed Ginnelly's deep delivery back into the mix up rose SEAN RAGGETT to neat via the inside of the post to bring the aggregate scores level.
Both teams made a change with 20 minutes on the clock with Elliott Whitehouse replacing Bradley Wood for the Imps and Adriano Moke coming on for Aidan Connolly for the visitors. Whitehouse's introduction saw Woodyard drop to right-back.
Three minutes later Oliver went to ground under a Raggett challenge just outside the box. After awarding York a free-kick referee Toner dished out a yellow card to Raggett. Newton's free-kick deflected out for York's first corner which Farman claimed well.
Three more City corners in the next three minutes followed as the Imps pushed for the lead before Danny Holmes replaced a limping Vadaine Oliver in the 86th minute. Three minutes later Rhead knocked down a Hawkridge cross to Whitehouse who prodded inches wide as Letheren spread himself.
A minimum of four minutes additional time was indicated by the Fourth Official with an Arnold effort which flew over from the edge of the box being the only attempt towards goal before the game went into extra-time.
FT: IMPS 1 YORK 0 (AGG 2-2)
With Macclesfield Town at Wembley Stadium the prize for the winners after the Silkmen won at Tranmere Rovers in their semi-final clash, extra-time got underway with York restarting.
Two minutes in Arnold forced a corner, City's tenth of the game, and two minutes later Scott Fenwick came on for a limping Amari Morgan-Smith for the Minstermen.
Knott and Angol combined for another corner but again the York defence cleared before Raggett fired wide from range and Angol sliced a shot past the opposite post.
In the 102nd minute Ginnelly was booked for simulation following a tussle with Heslop and at the other end Parkin won a corner following a rare York attack. When the corner came in a low drive was hammered against a grounded Waterfall with referee Toner initially letting play continue before consulting with his assistant as York players appealed for hand ball.
After a chat with his colleague Toner awarded a penalty. Hawkridge was booked for protesting before Fenwick fired low past Farman from the spot.
HT ET: IMPS 1 YORK 1 (AGG 2-3)
The first action following the latest restart saw Ginnelly fire a free-kick over the bar after Knott was felled before Heslpp was booked after he tugged back Ginnelly by the shirt.
With York understandably taking their time, both when in possession and waiting to take set-pieces and throw-ins, City were unable to get the ball in the attacking third as much as they would have liked. And when they did Arnold saw his cross-cum-shot fly a foot wide of the post.
City pushed forward in numbers with a York counter-attack ending with Holmes seeing his drive deflect behind for a corner. It wasn't long before referee Toner brought things to a close with the Minstermen through to the final.
FT ET: IMPS 1 YORK 1 (AGG 2-3)
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
2 Bradley WOOD
5 Luke WATERFALL
8 Alan POWER
9 Matt RHEAD
11 Terry HAWKRIDGE
25 Sean RAGGETT
28 Nathan ARNOLD
30 Alex WOODYARD
31 Lee ANGOL
37 Riccardo CALDER
subs
4 Elliott WHITEHOUSE (for WOOD 70)
10 Adam MARRIOTT
13 Jonny MARGETTS
34 Billy KNOTT (for POWER 62)
36 Josh GINNELLY (for CALDER 58)
GOAL: RAGGETT (65)
BOOKINGS: POWER (14), RHEAD (30), RAGGETT (73), GINNELLY (102), HAWKRIDGE (105)
YORK CITY
28 Kyle LETHEREN
2 Shaun ROONEY
8 Simon HESLOP
9 Amari MORGAN-SMITH
12 Aidan CONNOLLY
17 Asa HALL
29 Vadaine OLIVER
31 Jon PARKIN
33 Sean NEWTON
36 Daniel PARSLOW
37 Hamza BENCHERIF
subs
16 Tyler WALTON
21 Scott FENWICK (for MORGAN-SMITH 94)
34 Adriano MOKE (for CONNOLLY 71)
35 Danny HOLMES (for OLIVER 86)
13 Luke SIMPSON
GOAL: FENWICK (105+1 pen)
BOOKINGS: MORGAN-SMITH (36), OLIVER (42), HESLOP (111)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Ben Toner
ASSISTANTS: Alan Clayton & Neil Radford
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Danny Middleton
ATTENDANCE: 8,409 (694 visiting supporters)
