City's 2007/08 season got off to a disastrous start as Shrewsbury Town rattled in four second half goals at Sincil Bank on Saturday afternoon.

After an evenly-matched opening half, which saw few chances come along for either side, Shrewsbury certainly made the most of what came their way after the break.

The second half was eight minutes old when Darren Moss sent a ball in from the right, Nat Brown swung and missed his clearance and there at the back post was Andy Cooke to scramble the ball home after Alan Marriott had somehow blocked his initial attempt.

One became two within the space of four minutes when Dave Hibbert doubled the Shrews' advantage, slotting onto a ball forward which went over debutant Phil Watt's head before slotted it past Marriott's fingers and into the back of the net.

Two goals in the space of 60 seconds with 10 minutes on the clock sent the travelling fans home happy; the first coming after Cooke slotted home a Marc Pugh centre and the second was a header from substitute Steve Leslie after Ben Herd crossed from the byline.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

As is usually is the case on the opening day of the season, hot and sunny weather conditions greeted the teams as they made their way out of the tunnel with City manager John Schofield handing four players their first team debuts; the quartet being new signings Gary Croft, Louis Dodds and Steve Torpey plus second year pro defender Phil Watt.

City were led out by skipper Scott Kerr whilst the Shrews - who lost to Bristol Rovers in last season's Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium - were captained by Stuart Drummond. The man in charge was Fred Graham from Essex, whose last visit to Sincil Bank saw him officiate the 7-1 win over Rochdale.

The Imps kicked off attacking the IMPS Stand goal and it was an evenly matched opening five minutes or so as both sides took their time to settle into proceedings.

A couple of noticeable things from the early stages were that City seemed keen to play some neat triangles in a bid to open up the visiting defence whilst the Shrews clearly had a threat in the shape of centre-back Darren Kempson and his long throws.

City's first real move of any menace came in the 11th minute when Lee Frecklington and Jamie Forrester teamed up before the latter laid the ball into the path of the advancing Paul Green. The right-back fizzed in a first time drive but good defending by the visiting back line saw them get in a block as the ball headed towards the target. Shrewsbury responded by forcing the first corner of the new season which was easily dealt with by the Imps' defence.

Good goalkeeping from Alan Marriott then saw him save at the feet of Andy Cooke whilst at the other end good link up play between Forrester and Croft almost saw them unlock the Shrews' defensive shackles.

In the 28th minute, a trip on Dodds by Colin Murdock gave City a chance from a set-piece 25 yards from target. The free-kick was straight from the training ground with Kerr and Forrester linking up before Frecklington stopped when it appeared he was the one to strike. The ball was eventually laid into the path of Croft who saw his netbound drive deflect out for a corner which came to nothing.

A decent City move from back to front led to their second corner as the clock showed 34 minutes played. Good goalkeeping from Glynn Garner saw him claim Frecklington's delivery in from the quadrant, though.

City came within inches of grabbing the advantage seven minutes before the break when Croft curled the ball in from the left with his right boo and in flew Torpey but Garner was at full stretch to tip the ball behind. It was difficult to tell whether the ball clipped Torpey's hair as it flew goalwards but credit to Garner for pulling off a fine save.

A deflected Scott Kerr effort led to another corner as City pressed again and when Amoo floated the ball in, Brown helped it on before an overhead kick by Forrester was cleared behind by Murdock.

Torpey then headed an Amoo centre a foot wide before the Fourth Official indicated that just the one added minute was to be added on at the end of the 45. Towards the end of this added time, Dave Hibbert prodded a cross behind so it was as you were as he teams went in for their half-time breather.

HT: IMPS 0 SHREWSBURY 0

With no changes at the break, both sides lined up as they had finished the first and City were first to press, forcing two corners in quick succession as they looked for a quick breakthough following the restart.

A blatant foul by Kempson on Forrester then gave City a free-kick on the edge of the 18-yard box close to the goal line. Amoo chipped the ball in, Torpey and Forrester both helped it on but it was hacked clear off the visiting goal line and away to safety.

At the other end, Marriott produced a fine block to deny skipper Drummond whilst City's response saw Kerr force Garner to save a fizzing drive at the second attempt.

The game was certainly opening up now and Marriott was called into action again when Andy Cooke got the wrong side of the City defensive line before firing at the Imps' number one.

Marriott was left exposed, however, in the 53rd minute when Cooke bundled home to give the visitors the lead. The goal came after Darren Moss sent a ball in from the right, Nat Brown swung and mis$sed his clearance and there at the back post was Cooke to scramble the ball home after Marriott had somehow blocked his initial attempt.

One became two within the space of four minutes when Dave Hibbert doubled the Shrews' advantage. Town's second came when the ball was chipped forward over the head of teenager Watt and after the ball landed at the feet of Hibbert he calmly slotted it past Marriott's fingers and into the back of the net.

In the 61st minute Dany N'Guessan replaced Ryan Amoo in a straight swap on the left and his first touch saw him head goalwards only for the ball to be cleared behind for a corner.

A second City change a couple of minutes later saw Mark Stallard come on for Louis Dodds as manager John Schofield went for three up front, although Forrester looked as though he was now operating just behind Stallard and Torpey.

A Frecklington chip was claimed under the bar by Garner whilst Cooke shot inches wide at the other end before substitutes N'Guessan and Stallard teamed up with the latter curling a shot just wide of the upright.

In the 70th minute, Hibbert made way for Steve Leslie for the visitors and before he had chance to touch the ball Stallard tested Garner with a shot via the outside of his boot.

A third and final change for City saw Ollie Ryan come on for Scott Kerr in the 76th minute. The switch saw Paul Green push forward into midfield whilst Ryan slotted into a role on the right. Jamie Forrester took the captain's armband.

Shortly after this switcharound, N'Guessan fired over whilst City's ninth corner of the game ended with Frecklington fizzing a shot inches over the bar.

Play quickly switched to the other end though and with City pushing men forward, Marc Pugh was able to make the most of the space in the Imps' defence and after he brought the ball forward, he fed Andy Cooke who had the easy task of slotting home from six yards.

Less than 60 seconds later it was 4-0 with substitute Steve Leslie getting into the act, heading home a Ben Herd cross to pile on the misery and with the home fans starting to drift out, Herd saw yellow for over zealous celebrations in front of the travelling Town followers.

Cooke and Pugh were immediately withdrawn for Michael Symes and Chris Humphrey and Humphrey's first touches saw him get past Nat Brown only for Gary Croft to get in a great block to deny Leslie a second.

"We want five" chanted the 375 Town fans and had it not been for Gary Croft's saving header on the line they would have had just that after Leslie struck from 18 yards.

Four minutes of added time was then indicated and midway through those, Herd looked to have been upended by Croft but referee Graham wasn't interested and let play carry on.

This was the last action as shortly afterwards Mr Graham put us all out of our misery and blew for full-time.

The match sponsors, Elliott Hire, named Gary Croft as their "Man of the Match"

FT: IMPS 0 SHREWSBURY 4

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Paul GREEN
6 Nat BROWN
21Phil WATT
3 Gary CROFT
19 Louis DODDS
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
14 Ryan AMOO
8 Jamie FORRESTER
10 Steve TORPEY

subs
4 Adie MOSES
9 Mark STALLARD
17 Dany N'GUESSAN
18 Ollie RYAN
20 Owain WARLOW

SHREWSBURY TOWN
1 Glynn GARNER
2 Darren MOSS
4 Stewart DRUMMOND
5 Darren KEMPSON
7 Marc PUGH
8 Kelvin LANGMEAD
9 Dave HIBBERT
12 Ben HERD
16 Danny HALL
20 Andy COOKE
22 Colin MURDOCK

subs
11 Michael SYMES
17 Chris HUMPHREY
18 Steve LESLIE
19 Fola ONIBUJE
21 Chris MACKENZIE

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Fred Graham (Essex)
ASSISTANTS: Matt Foley & John Pearce
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Stephen Cooke

ATTENDANCE: 3,893 (375 visiting supporters)