City settled for a point after conceding in the last minute to Sutton Coldfield Town.
It took just five minutes for the deadlock to be broken. Visiting forward Lois Jefferies smashed the ball into the top right corner, leaving the Imps with work to do.
City responded well to going behind, having the majority of possession. Maddi Green delivered a dangerous ball from a corner that was cleared off the line by a Sutton Coldfield defender.
Minutes later, Leah Hardy took an audacious free kick from 30-yards out which was spilled by keeper Neve Jones. The opposition did well to clear the ball away from danger.
In the 25th minute it was the same story. Leah Hardy from nearly 35-yards out took a pop at goal, forcing Jones to parry it out for a Lincoln corner.
Just one minute before half-time, City found the equaliser. Another perfect delivery by Green from a corner met Faith Horner’s head which saw the ball nestle into the bottom corner.
The Royals had an injury scare after Chloe Handy was on the receiving end of a well-timed tackle by Millie Quaintance.
Handy carried on but in the 61st minute a beautifully slotted ball by Jemima Footitt into the path of substitute Lucy Farrow put the Imps in front. Farrow had to stretch to meet the ball but a tiny touch was enough to see the ball trickle over the line.
Lincoln almost made it three when Green’s free-kick was again spilled by Jones and into the path of Hardy who blasted it over.
City had to see out the remainder of the game with ten players after Green received a second yellow for kicking the ball away.
In the dying seconds of the game, youth debutant Phoebe Hopwood hit a clean volley on the edge of the box, ripping into the side netting to rescue her side a point from a contest the Imps dominated.
Imps: Poppy Irvine, Brogan Pugh (Lucy Farrow 58'), Millie Quaintance, Ella Thompson-Moulding, Chyna McIntosh (Tilly Fantom 58'), Faith Horner, Katie Williams, Leah Hardy, Maddi Green, Jemima Footitt, Lauren Nicholson (Toni McHamilton 83') Unused substitutes: Holly Wilson, Alice Wood.
Goal(s): Horner (44), Farrow (61)
Sutton Coldfield: Neve Jones, Freya Smith, Georgia Murphy (Holly Payton 78'), Chloe Evans (Stephanie Kingston 73'), Chloe Finn, Chloe Handy (Charlotte Worth 64'), Ellie Bruton (Phoebe Hopwood 68'), Sarah Lampitt (Ally Forbes 46'), Megan Hadley, Lauren Da'Casto, Lois Jeffries.
Goal(s): Jeffries (5), Hopwood (90+5)
