A 63rd minute header from Gareth McAuley clinched a hard-earned victory at Shrewsbury Town on Saturday, putting them just one point away from a place in the play-offs for a fourth successive season.
McAuley's decisive touch - which saw him flick a Scott Kerr free-kick past Shrewsbury goalkeeper Joe Hart - combined with Peterborough's 2-1 defeat at Leyton Orient - sees City go into the final game of the season against Rochdale next weekend needing just one point to guarantee themselves a top seven finish.
The performance at Gay Meadow was an excellent team effort with everyone in a red and white shirt giving their all for the cause. McAuley's winner was nothing more than they deserved.
Match report by John Vickers at Gay Meadow:
City boss Keith Alexander named an unchanged starting XI to the one that began last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Leyton Orient for this crucial League 2 fixture against Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow. There were two changes, however, on the bench with Danny Bacon and Colin Cryan coming in for Matthew Bloomer and Martin Gritton.
The importance of the game was there for all to see prior to kick-off with the Imps looking for the points to keep them inside the play-off zone whilst the sides around them - particularly Peterborough United who were level on points and level on goal difference with City going into the afternoon's match.
It was a warm and sunny afternoon as referee Gary Lewis led the two teams out on to the pitch with the Imps backed by a healthy contingent of travelling supporters who had made the journey across the country to cheer on the men in red and white.
The Imps kicked off and almost immediately won a free-kick when Marvin Robinson went to ground as he looked to win a Jeff Hughes ball forward but the resultant set-piece was easily dealt with by the Shrews' defence as Hughes swung the ball in.
Play quickly switched to the other end with Colin McMenamin winning the first corner of the game in the third minute - the short corner routine eventually being cleared by Paul Morgan for a throw-in.
When Marriott claimed the ball from the throw, he launched the ball forward for Franny Green to run on to but, after the City man found space between the home centre backs, he somehow screwed his left-footed drive well wide from the edge of the box.
At the other end Mark Stallard sent a shot well over after a quick break down the Shrewsbury left saw Gareth McAuley slip over on what was a hard playing surface that was causing the ball to bounce up higher than usual.
The Shrews forced another corner in the seventh minute with this one ending up with Kelvin Langmead dragging a shot wide. At the other end the offside flag denied Robinson a run on goal after good link up play between Jamie Forrester and Scott Kerr. Jamie Tolley then sent in a powerful 30 yard drive which flew a couple of feet over Alan Marriott's bar as an end-to-end opening continued.
In the 13th minute a deflected shot from 25 yards by Kerr led to City's first corner but the midfielder's delivery was poor from the quadrant and the home defence easily cleared their lines.
A third Shrewsbury corner was headed wide by Sagi Burton whilst a tug on Langmead's shirt earned Jamie McCombe a ticking off by referee Lewis. Nothing came from the resultant free-kick though. City replied with Green driving straight at Joe Hart whilst a Kerr free-kick was spilled by Hart before the ball was hacked away for a throw-in.
With 29 minutes on the clock Jeff Hughes was sent sprawling by Ben Herd and the free-kick led to a goalmouth scramble which eventually saw the ball run Shrewsbury's way. Shortly afterwards Green was presented with the ball by Glyn Hurst but his touch let him down and Herd was able to block.
Seconds after a speculative overhead kick by Burton landed on the roof of the Imps' net, Town were forced to make a change with Marco Adaggio coming on for the injured Glyn Hurst. The clock was showing 33 minutes at the time of the substitution.
Referee Lewis had words with Jamie Forrester after the striker was penalised for backing in to Town skipper Richard Hope and a couple of minutes later City won their second corner when a Robinson header from a Green cross was deflected behind. Nat Brown headed Jeff Hughes' inswinger a foot wide.
A solitary minute of added time came and went without incident so scorewise it was as you were at the beginning of proceedings as the two sides went in for their half-time cuppa.
HT: SHREWSBURY 0 IMPS 0
The sides emerged unchanged for the second half with Shrewsbury playing the ball straight out of play direct from the kick-off.
An excellent challenge by Jamie McCombe denied Neil Ashton a run on goal when the first attack of the second period came along four minutes after the restart whilst an Ashton cross from the other side landed tamely in Alan Marriott's arms.
A minute after tangling with Jeff Hughes off the ball, Sagi Burton sent a shot on the turn well over as the Shrews started the half the better of the two teams on show. It was the Imps though who forced the first corner after the break with Scott Kerr's shot taking a deflection however Hughes' delivery was claimed by Hart.
A quiet opening to the second half continued but things got going in the 63rd minute when City won a free-kick midway inside the Town half after Nat Brown was pulled back. Scott Kerr was the man in charge of the set-piece and, after he swung the ball into the danger area, up rose GARETH McAULEY to flick the ball past Hart who had come off his line. McAuley and his team mates ran away in celebration in front of the 991 travelling fans.
Shrewsbury looked for a quick response, winning their fourth and fifth corners of the game shortly afterwards but City stood firm and dealt with the danger as the game ticked towards its final quarter.
Scott Kerr was almost gifted the chance to make it 2-0 in the 73rd minute when a poor back pass saw Hart to clear the ball straight at the City midfielder but the ball squirmed away from him and away from goal.
Shrewsbury manager Gary Peters introduced Richard Evans for Colin McMenamin a minute later and his first touch saw him win a corner off McAuley. This one led to another one and that led to a great chance for the home side but Burton blazed well over from six yards.
Burton's afternoon got worse in the 78th minute when a mistimed challenge on Franny Green earned him a yellow card. From the free-kick the Imps had what looked to be a good shout for a penalty when the ball seemed to hit the arm of former Peterborugh man Burton.
A foul by McCombe on Langmead gave the hosts a chance from a free-kick but the City skipper made amends when he rose majestically to clear Evans' set-piece as the sun came from behind the clouds.
With five minutes on the clock, Nat Brown tested Hart with an effort from 18 yards but play quickly switched the other end with Town winning their ninth corner of the game. Marriott dropped the cross when it came in before the ball was scrambled behind again.
Another corner quickly followed as the home side pressed again with goalkeeper Hart racing up field to join in - Burton headed well over though. Before play could restart, Lee Frecklington replaced Scott Kerr and Paul Mayo came on for Jamie Forrester.
Seconds before an astonishing five minutes of added time was indicated by the Fourth Official, Jeff Hughes was ruled to have handled the ball giving the hosts a free-kick from 25 yards. Tolley's drive was deflected into Marriott's hands though.
Marvin Robinson saw yellow for a late challenge on Ashton, giving Town another free-kick and with Hart up field again City gained possession with Marriott claiming the ball. Although he was stopped from going for goal himself, he did enough to bowl the ball out to Mayo who won a throw-in.
Despite five minutes being indicated, there must have been a breakdown in communication as, after three minutes and 51 seconds of added time, referee Lewis brought an end to proceedings with McAuley's 63rd minute header putting City within touching space of the play-offs.
FT: SHREWSBURY 0 IMPS 1
MATCH FACTS
LINCOLN CITY
Alan MARRIOTT
Lee BEEVERS
Gareth McAULEY
Paul MORGAN
Jamie McCOMBE
Jeff HUGHES
Scott KERR
Nat BROWN
Marvin ROBINSON
Francis GREEN
Jamie FORRESTER
Subs:
Lee FRECKLINGTON (for KERR 90)
Paul MAYO (for FORRESTER 90)
Gary BIRCH
Danny BACON
Colin CRYAN
Goal: McAULEY (63)
Booking: M ROBINSON (90+)
SHREWSBURY TOWN
Joe HART
Jamie TOLLEY
Neil SORVEL
Colin McMENAMIN
Kelvin LANGMEAD
Mark STALLARD
Neil ASHTON
Ben HERD
Glyn HURST
Richard HOPE
Sagi BURTON
Subs:
Marco ADAGGIO (for HURST 34)
Richard EVANS (for McMENAMIN 74)
Glynn THOMPSON
Gavin COWAN
Gavin CADWALLADER
Booking: BURTON (78)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Gary Lewis (Cambridgeshire)
Assistants: Ian Smedley & David Unsworth
Fourth Official: Patrick Keane
Attendance: 5,170 (991 City supporters)
