Having twice led at the Fraser Eagle Stadium, City were forced to settle for a share of the spoils against Accrington Stanley on Saturday afternoon.
City took the lead on the quarter hour mark when Lee Beevers swept home a Lee Frecklington corner but within eight minutes, Andy Todd had fired Stanley level courtesy of a fine long range drive.
Scott Kerr edged City in front 11 minutes after the break when he lobbed Przemyslaw Kazimierczak, on as a sixth minute substitute for debutant 'keeper David Martin, after being released by Ryan Amoo.
The Imps looked to have done enough to secure maximum points but, in the 74th minute, home skipper Paul Mullin netted a second leveller for Stanley when a hopeful punt forward from centre-back Michael Welch picked out the big striker.
Alan Marriott produced a couple of fine saves, one in particular from Philip Edwards' long range drive, to ensure City came away with at least a point to keep them in touch at the top of the table.
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Scott Kerr lobs home the second goal at Accrington Stanley |
Match report by John Vickers at the Fraser Eagle Stadium:
Head Coach John Schofield made a couple of changes to his side for this, the first ever visit to Accrington Stanley's Fraser Eagle Stadium, with Jamie Forrester and Lee Beevers returning from suspension to replace Spencer Weir-Daley and Paul Mayo.
Weir-Daley and Mayo were both named amongst the substitutes on an all outfield bench as Schofield looked for his squad to bounce back from the disappointing midweek reverse at the hands of Hereford United.
After the pre-match formalities were completed, referee Russell Booth got the game underway with the hosts kicking off attacking the end behind which stood the Imps' travelling band of supporters on the open terrace.
City were first to press with Jeff Hughes drawing a foul out of Michael Welch 30 yards from goal but Jamie Forrester could only drill the effort straight at the wall.
The Imps pressed again on the 90 second mark, a Forrester centre led to the game's first corner but when the ball was floated in by Lee Frecklington, up rose Robert Williams to head clear.
Accrington's response saw them force a corner of their own but before it could be taken, debutant goalkeeper David Martin required treatment at the opposite end of the field, presumably for a knock picked up during the earlier flag-kick.
It was clear that Martin was struggling and Stanley boss John Coleman immediately replaced the Liverpool loan stopper with Przemyslaw Kazimierczak.
City dealt well with the corner when it was eventually taken with Frecklington bringing the ball forward at some pace. He then fed Forrester whose ball across to Jeff Hughes was deflected behind and whilst this corner led to another the second effort was brought to an abrupt halt after referee Booth spotted a push by Lee Beevers.
It was a game of corners as the 10th minute approached; the home side winning their second of the game. This one was taken short and when it was chipped in, tall striker Paul Mullin bundled both ball and goalkeeper into the net. Referee Booth was on the spot and rightly awarded the Imps a free-kick for the foul on Marriott.
Another sprint forward from Frecklington in the 14th minute, following good hold up play by Mark Stallard, saw him taken out by Williams for a City free-kick. This time Hughes fired the set-piece at the wall but it wasn't long before the Imps' fourth corner came along.
Frecklington drilled this set-piece low towards the edge of the box and it was met by LEE BEEVERS who planted a firm drive past the outstretched arm of Kazimierczak.
Stanley's response saw Shaun Whalley break forward before being upended by Nat Brown close to the edge of the box; Brown earning himself his fifth caution of the season for his troubles.
The free-kick was blasted goalwards by Welch but Marriott was up to the task, flinging himself to his left before Brown blocked the follow-up effort.
City were pushed on to the back foot again as the half reached its midway point and this time Marriott was left grasping thin air as ANDY TODD levelled matters with a fine strike.
Midfielder Todd made the most of a poor clearance from the City defence and, after bringing the ball under control, he looked up before drilling in a powerful drive which flew inches past Marriott's fingertips before nestling in the bottom corner of the net.
City had a great chance to regain the advantage three minutes later when a fine
ball forward from Ryan Amoo released Forrester down the right. Forrester brought the ball inside but, with Stallard dashing up to support him, the returning striker went for goal only to be denied by the legs of Kazimierczak.
An Amoo centre then led to City's fifth corner of the afternoon which was halted after Beevers was deemed to have gone in too hard on Welch and shortly afterwards a Lincoln attack was stopped due to the fact that Accrington striker Romauld Boco was grounded in the centre-circle.
At the other end, Marriott was well positioned to hold a Mullin drive before Brown was forced to head a dangerous Alan Rogers centre over for a corner. The flag-kick was flicked behind for another by Hughes to make it five apiece with 38 minutes on the clock.
This led to another which was scrambled clear and after the ball was humped over the half-way line, Michael Welch required treatment after attacking the latter of the three aforementioned corners.
Mark Stallard then required treatment to his face after clashing with Welch for the umpteenth time during the opening period. After being helped to his feet by Michael Wait, he was helped off by the physio to receive further attention.
With Stallard back in the fray, the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of four additional minutes were to be added at the end of the half.
In the last of those, Andy Todd was cautioned by referee Booth and there was still time for the pair to have a further discussion as the Stanley man and Mark Stallard waited for a throw-in to come in.
HT: ACCRINGTON STANLEY 1 IMPS 1
With no further changes at the break, it was as you were as the Imps got the second half underway.
City were quick to press following the restart with a Frecklington drive being blocked to Stallard who saw his hooked effort crash into a home defender. Appeals for hand ball were waved away though and play continued with a corner to the Imps.
A drilled centre from Amoo then flew a foot over the head of Hughes at the back stick whilst at the other end Anthony Grant blazed well over from long range.
It wasn't long before the Imps pressed again though and this time, with the clock showing 56 minutes, they regained the advantage.
The second goal came from back-to-front with Marriott clearing forward to Amoo who exchanged passes with Eaden before spotting the run of SCOTT KERR down the middle.
Amoo found his team mate with a pass over the top and, after the ball ran into his path via the knee of Anthony Grant, Kerr coolly lifted the ball over the advancing Kazimierczak before celebrating in front of the travelling supporters.
The midfielder picked up a caution three minutes later after leaving his leg in on Grant whilst Stanley's first response after conceding their second goal saw Shaun Whalley have a shot deflected behind.
Stanley made a second change in the 66th minute with Romauld Boco being replaced by Andrew Mangan up front; this coming 60 seconds or so before Frecklington dragged a left-footed shot wide after Forrester and Amoo had linked up down the right.
City had Alan Marriott to thank midway through the half when he flung himself to hie left before brilliantly tipping a long-range Philip Edwards volley behind for a corner.
Lee Frecklington became the next name in Mr Booth's notebook in the 72nd minute following a mistimed challenge on Procter. Shortly afterwards, Marriott showed good handling from Mangan's low drive.
Marriott was left helpless in the 74th minute though when Stanley equalised for a second time. The hosts' second leveller came when a long punt forward from Welch saw PAUL MULLIN escaped the offside trap and, after the big front man chested it into his path, he planted a firm shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Great defending from Beevers then denied Mullin a second in as many minutes when he nipped in to take the ball off his feet after Whalley had got the better of Eaden down the home left.
With the home crowd now in full voice, City looked to silence them and a corner at the other end gave them a chance but Frecklington's deep delivery was flicked out for a throw-in. When that came in from Amoo, Stallard was penalised for a foul.
With 10 minutes on the clock, Ryan Amoo made way for Paul Green and another corner came City's way a minute later; this being headed behind by Beevers.
Spencer Weir-Daley was then thrown on for Jeff Hughes as Head Coach John Schofield changed things around up front with Jamie Forrester slotting into the role vacated by Hughes on the left.
Whalley fizzed a left-footed shot wide and Grant fired behind as the game entered its final five minutes of normal time
Weir-Daley's first touch saw sub 'keeper Kazimierczak gather his low drive at the second attempt under pressure from Forrester and just after four minutes of added time was indicated, Frecklington dragged a shot wide of the target from a narrow angle.
With 45 seconds of added time remaining City had to deal with a Stanley corner but Marriott showed good handling to claim Roger's inswinging centre.
This proved to be the final action of note and once Marriott cleared the ball up field, referee Booth blew for time with City, having twice led, being forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
FT: ACCRINGTON STANLEY 2 IMPS 2
MATCH FACTS
LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
12 Nicky EADEN
5 Paul MORGAN
23 Nat BROWN
2 Lee BEEVERS
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
14 Ryan AMOO
24 Jeff HUGHES
9 Mark STALLARD
22 Jamie FORRESTER
subs
6 Paul GREEN (for AMOO 80)
34 Spencer WEIR-DALEY (for HUGHES 83)
3 Paul MAYO
4 Adie MOSES
20 Owain WARLOW
GOALS: BEEVERS (15), KERR (56)
BOOKINGS: BROWN (17), KERR (59), FRECKLINGTON (72)
ACCRINGTON STANLEY
42 David MARTIN
12 Philip EDWARDS
4 Robert WILLIAMS
5 Michael WELCH
36 Alan ROGERS
6 Andrew PROCTER
40 Anthony GRANT
17 Andrew TODD
14 Romauld BOCO
10 Paul MULLIN
27 Shaun WHALLEY
subs
41 Przemyslaw KAZIMIERCZAK (for MARTIN 6)
9 Andrew MANGAN (for BOCO 66)
39 Stuart FLEETWOOD
20 James HARRIS
38 Mauro ALMEIDA
GOALS: TODD (23), MULLIN (74)
BOOKING: TODD (45+4)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Russell Booth (Nottinghamshire)
ASSISTANTS: Paul Kettlewell & Andy Newell
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Mark Astley
ATTENDANCE: 1,930 (599 City supporters)
