A Lee Beevers own goal robbed the Imps of maximum points against Morecambe at Sincil Bank on Saturday afternoon, with City having led through Ryan Amoo.

Amoo blasted City in front in the 23rd minute, firing into the roof of the net after he exchanged passes with Ollie Ryan but the equalising goal came in comical fashion nine minutes from the break when a deep centre from the Morecambe left was headed back across goal by Garry Thompson. As Alan Marriott prepared to gather the ball, Beevers stuck a leg out and could only look on in anguish as the ball trickled slowly over the line.

City enjoyed the majority of things in the second half with the front two of Steve Torpey and Ollie Ryan causing constant problems for the visiting defence but in the end the Imps were once again forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

There was one change to the City starting XI for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against last season's Conference Play-Off winners Morecambe with midfielder Lee Frecklington in for centre-back Nat Brown. Frecklington returned alongside Scott Kerr and Jamie Hand in the middle of the park as manager John Schofield switched things to a 4-3-3 formation.

It was a pleasant afternoon as play got underway with City attacking the IMPS Stand in the opening period.

The Imps were quickly forced on the defensive with Morecambe's Carl Baker forcing the first corner of the game in the third minute. When the flag-kick was floated in deep it fell to Baker who saw his shot from a narrowing angle clip the top of the crossbar before flying behind for a goal-kick.

City replied well with Steve Torpey and Ollie Ryan linking well before a challenge from Lee Frecklington saw the ball bounce to Louis Dodds. Dodds struck the ball well but visiting 'keeper Joe Lewis was well positioned and did well to tip the ball behind for a corner.

This led to a spell of City pressure with Jamie Hand and Scott Kerr both having efforts blocked whilst Torpey saw a flicked header from a Dodds' ball in held by the towering Lewis.

At the other end Michael Twiss twisted his way past Lee Beevers before firing the ball into the side netting whilst City's response saw Frecklington have a drive deflected behind for a corner which led to nothing.

An excellent saving challenge from James Bentley then denied Dodds a run on goal after he was released by Frecklington whilst a foul on Hand by Damien Allen gave the Imps a free-kick 30 yards out in the 17th minute. Scott Kerr set his sights but Lewis had his effort covered all the way and claimed at the foot of the post.

At the other end Marriott saved well with his legs from Baker whilst seconds later a foul by the back-tracking Torpey on Twiss gave the visitors an opportunity but when Craig Stanley floated the ball in Torpey rose well to clear the danger.

Play immediately switched to the other end and promptly took the lead in emphatic style with 23 minutes on the clock.

Ryan Amoo was the man to get his name on the scoresheet as, after he advanced forward and exchanged passes with Ryan, he rifled home from just inside the box for his first of the season and his first ever at Sincil Bank.

City's heads were clearly lifted from this strike and the strike pairing of Torpey and Ryan were causing the visiting defence all sorts of problems and only a couple of stoppage to allow treatment to Lewis, who fell awkwardly as he went for a deep Amoo centre, and Baker who came off worse in a 50-50 with Kerr, gave the Morecambe players a chance to grab a breather.

Lewis was at the centre of things again in the 33rd minute when he kept out a Hand 25-yard blunderbuster and then somehow he kept out Ryan as he got on the end of the loose ball six yards out.

Three minutes later, though, the visitors drew level in comical fashion.

The equaliser came after a deep centre from the Morecambe left was headed back across goal by Garry Thompson. As Marriott prepared to gather the ball, Lee Beevers stuck a leg out and could only look on in anguish as the ball trickled slowly over the line.

As the visiting players and fans celebrated the goal, Morecambe boss Sammy McIlroy seemed to have a more than heated argument with Fourth Official Nigel Smith and despite watching his side draw level, was clearly far from happy about something.

The following nine minutes were a pretty even affair, broken only when Baker tested Marriott from the edge of the box in the first of two added minutes.

HT: IMPS 1 MORECAMBE 1

With no changes at the break it was as you were as the Imps got the second half underway with Scott Kerr bringing the ball forward before firing wide just seven seconds play resumed.

Good work from Paul Green saw him force the first corner of the second period and when Frecklington played the ball in Bencherif was unlucky to see his net-bound drive crash into a visiting defender before bouncing away to safety.

Jamie Hand then had two powerful efforts blocked from the edge of the box as City upped the tempo again by stringing a few passes together in a bid to unlock the Shrimpers' defensive line.

On the hour mark Louis Dodds was replaced by Dany N'Guessan on the right whilst Gary Hunter came on for Damien Allen almost straight after this switch.

Morecambe's first attack of the second period saw Baker make the most of a lucky bounce before seeing his shot blocked whilst the follow up effort from Hunter crashed into Green before the ball went behind for a corner. Before the corner could be taken Baker required treatment and when it was played in Marriott claimed under his bar.

Baker's knock clearly got the better of him as he was replaced by Neil Sorvel as the half reached its midway point.

Shortly after this change, good work from N'Guessan saw him beat his man before swinging the ball in which was fired over by Ryan's overhead kick and the same player dragged a shot wide after the ball fell to him although Torpey looked to have been held down as he went for Amoo's centre in the box.

A rare Morecambe attack saw Stanley fire wide whilst at the other end Kerr was crowded out by three visiting defenders as he looked to get on the end of a Ryan lay off.

Michael Twiss was replaced by Jon Newby for the visitors with 14 minutes remaining whilst four minutes later Danny Adams and Steve Torpey went nose to nose after the City man was held back by his balding opponent. N'Guessan headed the resultant free-kick, taken by Kerr, wide of the target.

A dangerous N'Guessan centre was then cleared by Artell as the City fans roared on the men in red and white whilst Morecambe's response saw Frecklington clatter clumsily into Blinkhorn midway in the Lincoln half. When the ball was played in Thompson clearly handled with play restarting with a City free-kick.

With the game in its final minute good skill from N'Guessan saw him jink his way past a couple of defenders but his ball to Ryan was intercepted by Artell at the last minute and in the first of three added minutes City had to defend a free-kick which was headed clear by Frecklington.

Paul Green then became the first person to receive a booking, this for a challenge from behind on Thompson whilst a free-kick to City gave them one last chance of glory but when Marriott pumped the ball into the danger area, Torpey was pulled up for a foul. Seconds later rookie referee Steven Cook blew for time.

FT: IMPS 1 MORECAMBE 1

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
14 Ryan AMOO
5 Lee BEEVERS
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
2 Paul GREEN
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
26 Jamie HAND
19 Louis DODDS
10 Steve TORPEY
18 Ollie RYAN

subs
17 Dany N'GUESSAN (for DODDS 60)
4 Adie MOSES
8 Jamie FORRESTER
9 Mark STALLARD
20 Owain WARLOW

GOAL: AMOO (23)

BOOKING: GREEN (90+2)

MORECAMBE
32 Joe LEWIS
2 Adam YATES
4 David ARTELL
5 James BENTLEY
6 Craig STANLEY
7 Michael TWISS
10 Carl BAKER
11 Garry THOMPSON
12 Damien ALLEN
21 Mathew BLINKHORN
25 Danny ADAMS

subs
8 Gary HUNTER (for ALLEN 61)
14 Neil SORVEL (for BAKER 67)
20 Jon NEWBY (for TWISS 76)
3 Michael HOWARD
30 Scott DAVIES

GOAL: BEEVERS (36og)

REFEREE: Steven Cook (Surrey)
ASSISTANTS: Martin Dexter & Keith Lawson
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Nigel Smith

ATTENDANCE: 3,281 (187 visiting supporters)