A bright start from the Imps forced early pressure from a corner, where home goalkeeper Wong did well to tip the ball clear.  

The Imps took the lead after 11 minutes, as another Maddi Green corner from the right was flicked into the back of the net by a Loughborough defender, with Leah Hardy applying pressure behind her.  

The hosts found an equaliser in the 23rd minute, with winger Lauren Purchase finding the back of the net at the back post.  

City looked to respond, with a period of sustained possession in a battling first half performance. Toni McHamilton forced a smart save from Wong with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box on the half hour mark.  

A superb sliding block from defender Ella Thompson-Moulding stopped a powerful effort on goal from the right, that looked destined to find the back of the net.  

From the resulting corner Lightning took the lead, as a header from the right took a deflection, and found its way past Imps goalkeeper Irvine, on 33 minutes.  

Set-pieces proved to be fruitful for Lee Mitchell’s team, and they went close again, six minutes before half-time, with Lucy Farrow poking the ball just the wrong side of the post, and into the side netting from six yards out.  

The first caution of the game fell the way of Zofia Szech, as she hacked down Maddi Green as the winger accelerated down the left wing. From the resulting free-kick, McHamilton was inches away from poking the ball home, but goalkeeper Wong was off her line well to smother the ball.  

Defender Tilly Fantom replaced Brogan Pugh at the break, as City looked to take the game to their hosts. 

City made the perfect start to the second half and found an equaliser less than five minutes after the break. Another Maddi Green caused chaos for goalkeeper Wong, and the ball found the net at the front post.  

Ella Thompson-Moulding showed great skill and composure to turn away from her marker on halfway, before driving towards the edge of the box. Unfortunately, her effort from distance flew just over the crossbar.  

Maddi Green forced a good bloke from the Lightning defence as she looked for her third goal involvement in the game on 55 minutes.  

The resulting corner proved too much for the Lightning defence to handle as Hardy’s delivery was perfect for Neve Hincks to head the ball home.  

An audacious Leah Hardy volley from outside the area nearly found its way in at the back post, as the Imps continued to assert their dominance in the second half.  

Goalkeeper Poppy Irvine was called into action for the first time in the 73rd minute, doing well to hold a curling effort from Loughborough’s Abbey Hateley.  

The Imps dug in and produced a fine defensive display throughout the final 20 minutes.  

In the 89th minute Poppy Irvine was forced to parry the ball out following a goal bound header from a corner. Seven minutes of added time saw Irvine claim everything her penalty area, but it wasn’t to be for the Imps as Loughborough’s Purchase scored her second after five minutes of added time.