Two goals from Louis Dodds saw the Imps pick up an excellent three points at Shrewsbury Town following an action-packed encounter at the New Stadium.

Dodds gave the Imps the lead in superb style on the 12 minute mark when he curled a 30-yard free-kick past Town 'keeper Glynn Garner but the remainder of the opening period seemed to centre on referee Pat Miller who earned the wrath of both sets of fans with some questionable decisions.

With Lenny John-Lewis forced off with a head injury, Mark Stallard got an hour under his belt and he showed all his experience, especially late on when the Imps found themselves pegged back when Ben Davies repeated Dodds' feat by firing home direct from a free-kick with 15 minutes on the clock.

City's heads didn't drop though and, after Alan Marriott produced two superb saves to deny Guy Madjo and Marc Pugh, up popped Dodds for a second time - the Leicester loanee volleying in from 12 yards after a long Lee Ridley throw in was laid off to him by Jamie Forrester.

The game lasted exactly 100 minutes with the first half seeing six minutes added on whilst four were added at the end of the match and it was a thoroughly entertaining century and one in which City were fully deserving of their maximum haul.

Match report by John Vickers at the New Meadow:

With Nat Brown ruled out through illness, in came Danny Hone to partner Lee Beevers at the centre of defence for this Coca-Cola League 2 game against Shrewsbury Town at the New Stadium.

This was the only change to the side that started against Mansfield Town in midweek, although Adie Moses and Ryan Amoo returned to the bench with loanee Adam Smith, who's set to return to Chesterfield on Monday, missing out.

Although fine, the weather was very chilly as the teams made their way out of the tunnel on to what looked to be a decent playing surface at the Shrews' recently constructed new ground.

City kicked off and were quickly pushing forward with a Ben Wright header almost finding Jamie Forrester but the latter saw the ball late and it bounced through to home 'keeper Glynn Garner.

At the other end a low effort from Kevin McIntyre was easily held by Alan Marriott and shortly afterwards Lee Beevers was forced to receive treatment to his face as he went up for a bouncing ball with Dave Hibbert. After some attention off the field to mop up the blood, Beevers returned to the fray.

Some pedantic refereeing was doing nothing to aid the flow of the game in the opening 10 minutes and one such decision saw Mr Miller have words with Danny Hone for a challenge on Asa Hall which saw him clearly win the ball only to be pulled up for a foul.

A decision in the Imps' favour, though, saw Louis Dodds gain a free-kick 30 yards out in the 12th minute. The Leicester loanee took the responsibility himself and promptly curled in a superb effort whch bounced past Garner's right hand and into the back of the net.

It was just the start that City wanted and was nothing more than they deserved having had the better of the opening exchanges.

Shrewsbury looked for a quick response with a long range Ben Davies free-kick forcing Marriott to tip the ball over his bar whilst good work at the other end by Forrester saw him force City's first flag-kick. Dodds' delivery was intercepted at the near post though and his frustrations saw him pick up a caution after leaving a foot in on Davies.

Midway through the opening period, a clumsy challenge on Hone by Guy Madjo saw the City man hit the deck with some force. The Town striker also remained on the floor, probably in a bid to avoid punishment, and he went off before returning to action. Lee Beevers changed into Nat Brown's shirt before the free-kick could be taken.

A clash of heads between John-Lewis and McIntyre kept the respective physios busy again shortly afterwards - the outcome this time a free-kick to Town but the news didn't look good for the City teenager as the stretcher was called for. Fortunately he didn't need it but, as he got to his feet to gingerly walk off, referee Miller branded a yellow card in his direction!

Former Shrewsbury striker Mark Stallard was John-Lewis's replacement, a good three minutes after play stopped. He slotted in alongside Ben Wright with Jamie Forrester moving to the right.

The next attack came Shrewsbury's way with Hibbert clearly pushing Hone in the back as the duo went for a ball over the top. Nothing was given though and after Hibbert rounded Marriott, Hone was there to intercept his ball back into the danger area.

Hibbert then made a mess of things after good work from Marc Pugh saw him wriggle past Paul Green before crossing. Referee Miller then sent Beevers off the field to put on another shirt - 'Warlow 20' was his fourth of the game!

Whilst this was going on City failed to make the most of a corner whilst a mistimed challenge in the 42nd minute from Scott Kerr on Davies saw the City skipper pick up a deserved yellow.

Kerr was at the centre of things again a minute later when he squared up to Madjo who went down like a sack of spuds in the box as he tried to con the referee into awarding a penalty. Nothing other then a goal kick was given.

Six added minutes was indicated by the Fourth Official, meaning a delayed half-time cuppa, and midway though those extra minutes, the managers got into the act when a ball out of play into the City dug out saw Town boss Gary Peters tangle with Peter Jackson who had retrieved the ball.

It was blood and thunder stuff with Forrester lucky to emerge in tact after Marc Tierney flew in on him; referee Miller was happy to wave play on though before bringing the all-action first half to a close.

HT: SHREWSBURY 0 IMPS 1

There were no further changes during the break, although Lee Beevers returned wearing shirt number five - this one belonging to Lenny John-Lewis.

The half was just seven seconds old when Paul Green and Dave Hibbert went for a high ball from the kick-off. The noisy home crowd, who greeted referee Pat Miller with a chorus of boos as he returned, were baying for red so when he produced a yellow

Two minutes later play restarted and when the free-kick was cleared, Mark Stallard was deliberately taken out by Kelvin Langmead and he became the recipient of the game's fifth yellow card.

Almost five minutes after he was grounded, a tearful Hibbert was replaced by debutant James Constable up front for the hosts and shortly after this change, Hone required treatment for second time after coming off second best in an aerial challenge with Madjo.

It was certainly not a game for the feint-hearted and the City youngster looked to be in some discomfort as he was helped to the sidelines by Michael Wait before he returned.

A clinical move from the Imps involving Dodds and Wright saw the latter cross to Stallard but a home defender managed to get a foot in and cleared for a corner. The flag-kick came to nothing though and the chance of a second went begging.

City were almost gifted a second in the 57th minute when a poor clearance from Garner went straight to Forrester. The City man got the ball under control and crossed for Wright but the striker, at full stretch, could only direct his header wide of the target.

A poor touch from Darran Kempson saw him concede a corner under no pressure whatsoever but Dodds' deliver from the quadrant went straight out of play.

Town manager Gary Peters made a second change in the 63rd minute with Chris Humphrey replacing Ben Herd and shortly after this, City pieced together a great move which ended with Forrester feeding Stallard who saw his low curler held at the second attempt by Garner.

City pressed again with Dodds heading a Forrester centre wide whilst Wright was unlucky to be pulled up for a push as he tangled with Kempson for a ball over the top.

Beevers was off yet again as the second half reached its midway point. Whose shirt was he going to have this time? The answer came after Asa Hall drilled a low shot wide of the target - Ollie Ryan's number 18. Beevers also returned with a hefty bandage on his head.

Shortly after Jamie Hand sliced an effort wide of the target, Scott Kerr was harshy penalised for a push on Davies six feet outside the box. Davies took the responsibility and planted a firm 76th minute right-footed effort into the top corner, giving Marriott no chance.

City responded to conceding the equaliser by winning their fifth corner of the game but they failed to capitalise whilst Forrester blasted a shot over from an angle after Wright's header back across the box landed at his feet.

Dany N'Guessan was then thrown on for Wright in a central role and his first touch saw him concede possession, with Humphrey giong on to win a corner. Although City kept Town out on this occasion, they were up against it again a minute later but Marriott brilliantly kept out Madjo's looping header before Hone headed behind.

From the corner Marriott was on hand again to claim Pugh's flicked header from Davies' delivery and Pugh was denied again shortly afrewards when he tried to curl one in from the edge of the box.

City responded in style to these scares by going on the attack themselves and, from a long Lee Ridley throw, the ball was played to Louis Dodds and he promptly planted a powerful volley past Garner for his second of the game to edge the Imps back in front with five minutes on the clock.

Straight from the restart, Beevers headed off the line from Hall's header whilst at the other end a fizzing centre from N'Guessan flicked a Town head before going out for a throw-in on the opposite side.

The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of four minutes were to be added and 60 seconds into those extra minutes a Davies free-kick caused all sorts of problems in the City defence, but Langmead wasted what looked to be a glorious chance from six yards when he fired wide.

City replied with N'Guessan wasting some seconds before winning a corner and some excellent keep-ball from the Imps ate up some more time as the whistle beckoned.

It proved to be enough as referee Pat Miller brought an enthralling encounter to a close after Lee Ridley took a throw-in down the left. The relief in the City camp was there for all to see with Dodds' double proving to be the difference as the Imps kept up theiur excellent record on Shropshire soil.

FT: SHREWSBURY 1 IMPS 2

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Paul GREEN
5 Lee BEEVERS
27 Daniel HONE
30 Lee RIDLEY
11 Scott KERR
26 Jamie HAND
8 Jamie FORRESTER
19 Louis DODDS
15 Ben WRIGHT
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS

subs
9 Mark STALLARD (for JOHN-LEWIS 28)
17 Dany N'GUESSAN (for WRIGHT 80)
4 Adie MOSES
14 Ryan AMOO
13 Ayden DUFFY

GOAL: DODDS (12, 85)

BOOKINGS: DODDS (18), JOHN-LEWIS (28), KERR (42), GREEN (47)

SHREWSBURY TOWN
1 Glynn GARNER
5 Darren KEMPSON
7 Marc PUGH
8 Kelvin LANGMEAD
9 Dave HIBBERT
12 Ben HERD
14 Ben DAVIES
16 Asa HALL
19 Guy MADJO
23 Marc TIERNEY
28 Kevin McINTYRE

subs
10 James CONSTABLE (for HIBBERT 50)
17 Chris HUMPHREY (for HERD 63)
2 Darren MOSS
6 Dave HUNT
21 Scott BEVAN

GOAL: DAVIES (76)

BOOKING: LANGMEAD (48)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Pat Miller (Bedfordshire)
ASSISTANTS: Wayne Barratt & Steven Cummins
FOURTH OFFICIAL: SP Bennett

ATTENDANCE: 4,892 (268 City supporters)