Danny Mandroiu continued his impressive pre-season form with another two goals as City recorded a victory at Crewe Alexandra.
Mandroiu’s two second-half strikes ensured Mark Kennedy’s side continued their unbeaten run throughout pre-season, with three wins following draws with Stockport County and King’s Lynn FC.
City started brightly, with opportunities inside the opening 10 minutes as Reeco Hackeet sent Ted Bishop away with a short free-kick - his cross was blocked - before the Imps’ No.10 saw a corner cleared.
Ben House also got away down the left, looking to roll the ball across to Lasse Sorensen but the home goalkeeper was out quickly to intercept the cross.
A tight offside call went against House after 12 minutes, otherwise he would have been through on goal facing.
Mandroiu had an opportunity after 25 minutes with a drive from outside the box, he hit the shot sweetly and got some good power behind it but it was too close to Harvey Davies to trouble the home keeper.
The home side were playing some nice passing moves, with Lukas Jensen having to be alert to turn an Rio Adebisi effort around at the near post. Matus Holicek also almost forced the ball home for Crewe, but his effort was blocked behind.
Mark Kennedy made one change at the break, with midfielder Ali Smith coming on for Reeco Hackett who was taken off as a precaution after taking a knock in the closing stages of the opening half. Bishop moved from his holding midfield role to feature on the right of the front three.
City started well in the second period, with Jaden Brown going close after being played through by Paudie O’Connor after 52 minutes.
Moments later O’Connor was influential at the other end, with a perfectly-timed challenge to deny Shilow Tracey a goalscoring opportunity.
Joel Tabiner’s looped effort, which looked to have taken a deflection, gave the home side the lead after 58 minutes. The ball looped up into the far corner, leaving Jensen with know chance.
That goal sparked a bit of a response from the Imps, with a long ball sending Sorensen through - with Davies equal to the Dane’s effort at the near post.
In the end, City were level four minutes after falling behind. Mandroiu won the ball back in the opposition’s half before driving a low shot which was perfectly placed into the bottom left corner.
Only a great tackle from Mickey Demetriou, just on as a substitute for the hosts, prevented House from giving the Imps after a stunning turn saw him getting away from his man and breaking through on goal.
City took the lead after 74 minutes. A corner from Bishop was headed on by Adam Jackson towards Sean Roughan, whose goalbound effort was cleared off the line but straight into the path of Mandroiu who side-footed home the decisive goal.
CITY: Jensen, Brown, Jackson, Erahahon, Hackett (Smith, 45), Bishop, Mandroiu, O’Connor, House, Sorensen, Roughan.
SUBS NOT USED: Wright, Gallagher, Duffy, Benn, Eyoma.
CREWE: Davies, Adebisi, Williams (Lunt, 69), Colkett (Evans, 80), O’Riordan Demetriou, 66), Offord, Long (Bilington, 33), Powell, Holicek, Tracey, Tabiner.
SUBS NOT USED: Booth, Kempster-Down, Woodcock, Griffiths, Sass-Davies.
ATTENDANCE: 1,216 (112 away)
