Ethan Hamilton’s first goal for the Imps secured three points in a battling performance at Shrewsbury Town.
City had to cope with challenging conditions and a spirited Shrews side, digging in when needed to ensure they left Shropshire with all three points.
Head coach Mark Kennedy made three changes, with Adam Jackson, Lasse Sorensen and Tyler Walker coming back into the starting XI.
The opening exchanges were even, with Taylor Perry firing over after 12 minutes for the home side.
Reeco Hackett was first to have an attempt on goal for the Imps, after breaking free with 19 minutes on the clock. His powerful effort went just over Marko Marosi’s crossbar.
Jensen was out quickly to prevent any danger from a free-kick down Shrewsbury’s right, which threatened to send Dan Udoh away.
And moments later, with 31 minutes on the clock, City caused problems in the home area through Ethan Hamilton’s floated free-kick which needed two Shrews defenders to finally outmuscle Sean Roughan.
The home side threatened through a quick counter-attack, but Jensen stood up well to block Taylor Perry’s shot behind for a corner. The ball made its way back to Perry from the set-piece, but his effort from just outside the area went over.
Hackett sent Walker through with a ball over the top after 35 minutes, but Shrews defender Joe Anderson did brilliantly to hold up City’s forward and nick the ball off him.
City’s travelling support of 370 were in good voice two minutes after the restart when a corner was won under pressure from Lasse Sorensen. Danny Mandroiu’s corner was well hit, but agonisingly fizzed sraight through the pool of attacking players.
Ethan Hamilton went close to opening the scoring after 55 minutes. Some good play down the right involving Mandroiu, Hackett then Sorensen led to the latter pulling the ball back for the Scottish midfielder whose shot from outside the area drew a brilliant diving save from Marosi who did brilliantly to get both hands to the ball.
The atmosphere was picking up and the home side went straight down the other end, with Jensen acrobatically tipping over Chey Dunkley’s header.
The Imps made a double change on the hour mark, with Ted Bishop and Ben House coming on to replace Mandroiu and Walker.
Bishop brought more attacking impetus, quickly laying the ball off for Hackett, who spun and tried an effort from distance that he could not keep down.
Marosi was forced to stand up tall to block a Sorensen effort after 72 minutes, with House creating the chance by refusing to give up on a pass from BIshop intended for the Danish wing-back. He closed down Anderson, outmuscled the defender and kept the ball in play, for laying it back for Sorensen.
City were creating chances, with Jackson heading just wide after getting on the end of. deep Sorensen cross.
The pressure told for City after 79 minutes when they took the lead. A Roughan cross from the left bounced around the area before finding its way back to Hamilton, who finished neatly into the bottom right corner.
City saw out the 90 minutes relatively comfortably and, although the home side enjoyed plenty of the ball in the five minutes of time added on, Jensen was never really tested.
CITY: Jensen, Sorensen, O’Connor (c), Jackson, Roughan, Burroughs, Erhahon, Hamilton (Smith, 80), Mandroiu (Bishop, 60), Hackett, Walker (House, 60).
SUBS NOT USED: Wright, Brown, Mitchell, Duffy.
SHREWS: Marosi, Anderson, Feeney, Winchester, Bowman, Udoh, Perry, Bayliss (Watts, 88), Dunkley, Shipley, Kenneh (Sobowale, 80).
SUBS NOT USED: Burgoyne, Benning, Bennett, Hernes, Flanagan.
ATTENDANCE: 5,602 (away 370)
