Danny Mandroiu’s second half strike cancelled out Sheffield Wednesday’s opener to earn a point and extend City’s unbeaten home league run to six matches.
Sheffield Wednesday’s first chance of the afternoon came in the fourth minute as Barry Bannan’s first time pass to Josh Windass on the right was delivered into the centre to force Carl Rushworth to punch clear.
The visitors early press paid off when Rushworth’s failed clearance from the edge of the area fell kindly for Lee Gregory who stroked the ball into the bottom right corner beyond the helpless ‘keeper from 20-yards out.
The Owls looked to cause more trouble for the Imps in the 15th minute as Windass had time to pull the ball back for Bannan just outside of the box whose left-footed strike was deflected narrowly past the top left corner.
City’s first shot on target came in the 21st minute as Ben House’s high press allowed the ball to come to Danny Mandroiu who burst into the final third before threading through the frontman who stung the palms of David Stockdale with a fierce shot from outside the area.
Darren Moore’s side then created back-to-back chances which saw Windass’ effort from the centre of the box scooped clear by Regan Poole before Ben Heneghan’s towering header from Bannan’s free-kick came off the outside of the post.
As the midway point approached Wednesday looked to control possession which culminated in Marvin Johnson whipping an inviting delivery across the face of goal but beyond any visiting attacker.
City started the second half in fantastic fashion as House spotted the run of Mandroiu who got in behind his defender to calmly poke the ball past Stockdale and into the bottom left corner to net his first league goal for the club.
Sheffield Wednesday almost retook the lead just four minutes later when a long delivery over the top dropped to Windass who wriggled away from Adam Jackson before teeing up Bannan in the centre, who couldn’t control the ball leaving Paudie O’Connor to clear off the goalline.
The Imps settled into the match after levelling and limited the Owls to only few chances, with the best one coming from Gregory’s cutback to Windass inside the area whose effort was high above Rushworth’s goal and allow both sides to settle for a point apiece.
Imps: Carl Rushworth, Regan Poole ©, Adam Jackson, Max Sanders, Paudie O’Connor, Ben House, Danny Mandroiu, TJ Eyoma, Sean Roughan, Matty Virtue, Jack Diamond. Subs (not used): Jordan Wright, Charles Vernam, Jordon Garrick, Jamie Robson, Lasse Sorensen, Jacob Davenport, Freddie Draper.
Goals: Mandroiu (46’).
Sheffield Wednesday: David Stockdale, Liam Palmer, Will Vaulks (George Byers 58’), Ben Heneghan (Fisayo Dele-Bashiru 71’), Lee Gregory, Barry Bannan ©, Josh Windass (Mallik Wilks 85’), Marvin Johnson, Michael Ihiekwe, Michael Smith, Mark McGuinness. Subs (not used): Cameron Dawson, Dominic Iorfa, Callum Paterson, Tyreeq Bakinson.
Goals: Gregory (8’).
Referee: Alan Young.
Attendance: 10,152 (2,080 away).
