A youthful Imps side increased their readiness for the season with a runout in Tuesday’s friendly at Grimsby Town.
City head coach Mark Kennedy named a side designed to give plenty of playing time to players who had not featured much during the pre-season campaign.
A much more experienced home side enjoyed much of the early possession, but did not do enough to force Jordan Wright into an early save.
Charley Kendall was sent through after 12 minutes following an incisive pass form TJ Eyoma, who was wearing the captain’s armband, but the offside flag was up against the centre forward.
City created opportunities from some dangerous-looking crosses, with key interceptions preventing Oisin Gallagher and Trialist B from getting on the end of deliveries.
The home side took the lead after 31 minutes when Alex Hunt got into some space on the right and fired home.
The Imps almost levelled straight away when Dylan Duffy led a break through the middle, feeding Kendall who drew a fingertip save from Jake Eastwood as he tipped his low effort round a post.
And the woodwork saved Grimsby again moments later when Trialist B crashed an effort off the crossbar following an Elicha Ahui cross.
Danny Rose doubled the Mariners’ lead after 39 minutes with a smart first-time finish.
And Eastwood was again forced into a good stop in time added on, palming away Duffy’s powerful shot.
City’s first chance of the second half came after 53 minutes. Makama started the move by winning the ball back in opposing half and feeding Ahui. Via Reeco Hackett and Duffy, before back to Makama whose powerful effort was off target.
Three minutes later some good controlled possession ended with Smith’s snapshot from distancing curling wide. Moments later it took a stunning save from Eastwood to tip a curling effort wide.
Kennedy made wholseale pre-planned changes on the hour mark, meaning Eyoma was the only outfield player left who started the match.
There was almost an immediate rewards as a good passing move which resulted in a Lasse Sorensen cross from the right and a vital clearance.
A powerful shot from Hackett after 65 was deflected wide, with the Imps now taking control of the match for most of the close stages.
Danny Mandroiu fizzed a powerful effort wide, before Eastwood had to be out quickly to get to the ball ahead of Jaden Brown from the Irishman’s pull-back.
Eastwood also had to be alert after 87 minutes to claw away Sorensen's deep cross from the right which threatened to dip under the bar.
The last chance came in second-half stoppage time, with a Sean Roughan header coming crashing back off a post.
CITY: Wright, Ahu (Sorensen, 60), Trialist A (O’Connor, 60), Smith (Bishop, 60), Makama (Mandroiu, 60), Trialist B (Brown, 60), Trialist C (Roughan, 60), Duffy, Eyoma (c), Kendall (Hackett, 45), Gallagher (Erhahon, 60)
SUBS NOT USED: Jensen, Jackson.
GRIMSBY: Eastwood, Mullarkey, Glennon, Maher, Eisa, Hunt, Conteh, Rose (c), Clifton, Vernam, Rodgers
SUBS: Waterfall, Amos, Efete, Green, Holoan, Khouri, Wilson, Cartwright
ATTENDANCE: 2,933 (434 away)
