The Imps made it three consecutive wins at the LNER Stadium as they beat Port Vale thanks to a first-half strike from Reeco Hackett.
The first half was full of chances for both sides, but it was City who found the breakthrough just beyond the half-hour mark when some good link-up play between Jack Moylan and Adam Reach culminated in Hackett finding the back of the net from range and it proved enough for Michael Skubala's side to continue their excellent home form.
Head coach Skubala made four changes from the side who suffered the agonising defeat in Wycombe a week ago. Freddie Draper returned to the side after bagging a goal off the bench last weekend, the same applied for Justin Obikwu. The final two changes saw Jack Moylan join the Imps midfield and Reeco Hackett make a first start in over a month.
After six minutes, George Wickens’ goal kick found Hackett on the halfway line who turned and released a ball to his right where he found Obikwu in space, he then played a channel ball to Tendayi Darikwa who had to slide in order to prevent the ball going out of play. He managed to find Draper in the six-yard box who tried a speculative flick but it was wide of the post.
City had another chance after 11 minutes and it fell to the same man again, Hackett found himself with the ball just inside his own half before spotting the intelligent run of Draper, who controlled it before unleashing a shot but he couldn’t find the parameters of Joe Gauci’s goal.
Port Vale’s first opportunity came after 28 minutes when George Hall battled well for the ball on the edge of City’s penalty area, it fell for Devante Cole out wide, he then recycled it to the back post where Ronan Curtis rose highest but couldn’t guide it to test Wickens for the first time in the game.
The Imps responded to the visitors' chance instantaneously as after 29 minutes it took a goal-line clearance from Ben Heneghan to deny City the opener as the skipper, Darikwa, played an enticing ball into the danger area where it was met by the head of Ben House, but it was expertly defended by his namely counterpart.
City opened the scoring just four minutes later through Hackett as after 32 the Imps caused more problems down the Vale right-hand side when Reach played a short ball to Moylan who then used his impetus to find Reach again before the latter pulled back for Hackett who struck it well towards goal, Gauci got a hand to it but it wasn’t enough to deny Lincoln the lead.
Another opportunity fell the way of the visitors after 38 minutes when danger man, Ronan Curtis delivered a perfectly placed corner to the penalty spot where be found the Port Vale captain, Ben Garrity. He was being tightly marked by the Imps defence, but he managed to get a shot away, just wide of the left upright.
The rain continued to fall at the LNER Stadium in the second half and in pursuit of an equaliser, the visitors had a few half chances including when George Hall did well to beat his man down the City left-hand side and put a low cross in but Wickens managed to claim the ball, narrowly before the on-rushing attacker.
Another slight opportunity fell for the visitors after 72 minutes, when a free-kick was whipped into the area from around 40-yards out. It caused the City defence a few problems and resulted in a bout of head tennis in the area before being put out for an corner by Tom Hamer. The Imps did much better in defending the subsequent corner as Rob Street cleared at the front post.
After 83 minutes Hall had another opportunity to find Port Vale a leveller as the hard work came from Kyle John down the left-hand side of the Imps defence, John managed to pick out Hall unmarked in the area, but he couldn’t generate enough power to challenge Wickens in the City net.
With Vale pushing in pursuit of an equaliser, Hamer very nearly made it 2-0 with a volley inside the area, but his effort found the side-netting.
City had a glorious chance to wrap up the points in the dying embers of the contest when Adam Reach looked to become playmaker again when reaching the byline before the ball creeped out of play. He cut the ball back where an oncoming James Collins was waiting but his effort was just wide after he had pressure applied to him from the Vale defender, but one was enough for City to take all the points.
Imps: Wickens, Darikwa, Reach, Hackett (Towler 80’), Moylan (Bayliss 66’), McGrandles, Bradley, House, Obikwu (Street 66’) Hamer, Draper (Collins 80’). Unused Subs: Jeacock, Ring, Varfolomeev
Port Vale: Gauci, Heneghan, C. Hall, Garrity, Stockley (Faal 61’), Curtis (Paton 92’) Ojo, John, Humphreys, G. Hall, Cole (Brown 92’). Unused Subs: Amos, Byers, Walters, Debrah
Attendance: 8,503 (658 away)
Referee: Peter Wright
