City were singing in the rain as two goals from Danny Mandroiu helped fire them to a comfortable victory at Boston United.
Mandroiu, Jaden Brown and Reeco Hackett were all on the scoresheet as the Imps started brightly at the Jakemans Community Stadium - racing into a 3-0 lead before a stoppage in play due to a torrential thunderstorm.
Mandroiu bagged his second of the game early in the second period, before Ben House, Charley Kendall and Hayden Cann added gloss to the scoreline.
Mark Kennedy’s side started brightly, with House the first to force a save out a keeper after Ali Smith had won the ball back in midfield and played him through on goal.
City won a penalty with just 10 minutes on the clock when House closed down Cameron Gregory in the home goal, nicking the ball from in front of him before being fouled by the Pilgrims keeper.
Mandroiu made the home side pay, slotting the ball home to the left from the spot as Gregory dived the wrong way. The Irishman was also effective in his defensive duties, racing back to block a cross from Zak Mills after the home full-back got on the end of a long ball after 21 minutes.
A move started by Ethan Erhahon, who sent Brown away down the left, resulted in a dangerous cross which Gregory got to just ahead of Brown.
Brown was in the thick of it again moments later, getting on the end of Lasse Sorensen’s low pull-back to fire home his first goal for the club.
And four minutes later, as the clock struck 30 minutes, it was 3-0. House was brought down when he was through on goal, referee James Bell allowed play to continue and Hackett converted.
It was to be more than 13 minutes from the ball landing in the back of the net to the home side restarting the game, as torrential rain rolled in and Bell quickly took the players off the pitch for their own safety and the 1,514 supporters in the stadium took cover.
That delay did disrupt the game, with the home side enjoying their best period of game in the 15 minutes after the resumption as Kelsey Mooney and Martin Woods lifted efforts over.
Two City goals early in the second half ended the game as a contest. The first came after 50 minutes when Mandroiu scored his second of the game after a counter-attack he was heavily involved in, instigating a one-two with Sorensen before lifting home.
And, two minutes later, Hackett led the charge from inside his own half before sending House through to calmly finish .
There were a raft of changes from both sides on the hour mark, with Imps head coach Kennedy changing every outfield player.
Kendall and Ted Bishop - the latter making his first appearance of pre-season - both had efforts blocked as the new arrivals in the game looked to make their mark.
Kendall did slot home City’s sixth to cap off a positive afternoon for the Imps, and was inches away of getting on the end of a Jovon Makama cross to make it 7-0.
Hayden Cann did get that seventh strike, forcing the ball home from a corner in second half stoppage time.
CITY: Jensen, Brown, Erahahon, Hackett, Smith, Mandroiu, O’Connor (c), House, Sorensen, Eyoma, Roughan
CITY LAST 30 MINS: Jensen, Ahui, Cann, Jackson, Makama, Bishop, Gallagher, Worsfold-Gregg, Duffy, Benn, Kendall.
SUB NOT USED: Allan (GK)
GOALS: Mandroiu (11, 50), Brown (26), Hackett (30), House (52), Kendall (77), Cann (90+1)
BOSTON: Gregory (Lovelace,63) , Sephton (Hand, 45), Nicholson (Edge, 63), Bostwick (c) (McLintock, 63), Leak (Essien, 63), Ward (Hall, 63), Woods (Wilson, 63), Mooney (Trialist A, 63), Gyasi (Martin 45), Richards (Trialist B, 63), Mills (Trialist C, 63).
ATTENDANCE: 1,514 (593 away)
