A brace apiece from Ollie Ryan and Owain Warlow saw the Imps reserves emerge 5-2 victors over Darlington's second string in a thorougly entertaining affair at Sincil Bank on Wednesday afternoon.

City were three up at the break thanks to a cool finish from Ryan, an excellent strike by Warlow and a drilled Shane Clarke effort and although Darlington got themselves back into the game shortly after half-time courtesy of goals from Neil Wainwright and Kevin McBride, a stunning 80th minute Warlow free-kick and another neat Ryan finish in the closing stages wrapped up a comfortable victory.

Match report by James Lazenby at Sincil Bank Stadium:

The opening five minutes or so were pretty stop-start with a number of infringements making it difficult for either side to stamp their authority on proceedings in the early stages.

From one such stoppage, Darlington centre back Kevin Burgess headed a Xavier Barrau free-kick wide of the target whilst City's response saw Ben Wright force a corner. After this was only half-cleared, the ball was returned by Ollie Ryan for Phil Watt to nod wide.

A Lincoln free-kick then saw Wright chest down to Shane Clarke who volleyed well over from the edge of the box but there was no such mistake by Ryan in the 10th minute when he put City in front with a clinical finish.

The opening goal came after a clever back heel from Wright saw him play the ball into the path of Ryan and the striker did the rest, producing a confident finish after he sat visiting 'keeper Andy Oakes on the ground.

This was the cue for some good passages of play by City as they sought out a second whilst some pedantic officiating by referee Mark Brown saw Shane Clarke pick up a yellow card in the 16th minute for a foul on Simon Todd; the young professional being pulled up on a numerous occasions.

It was a warm afternoon and on the half-hour mark both sides were invited to partake in some refreshments in front of their respective dugouts by the Yorkshire official.

When play restarted Barrau headed a Scott Wiseman cross over the bar as the Quakers looked to get back on level terms whilst at the other end Ryan saw his flick header from a Paul Green centre bounce a foot or so wide.

Six minutes before the break Neil Wainwright was cautioned after leaving his foot in on Phil Watt and within 60 seconds City doubled their advantage with a goal of the highest quality.

The goal stemmed from a great ball forward from centre-back Danny Hone to Ollie Ryan and after Ryan took his time to wait for options he laid it into the path of Owain Warlow who promptly blasted an unstoppable left-footed drive into the top corner of Oakes' net.

Three minutes later it was 3-0 as City carved the Darlington defence open with ease. Shane Clarke was both the creator and executor on this occasion with the midfielder feeding Semple on the right and after his centre was only half-cleared there was Clarke to hammer home from 12 yards.

Ben Wright was then denied sight of goal after Oakes sprinted off his line to clear a forward pass from Green whilst Darlington's hopes of a goal before the break were denied when Ayden Duffy tipped over a 25 yard effort from Shaun Reay.

Darlington made a change at the break with Scott Hunter replacing Simon Todd in midfield and in the opening minute of the second period a fine block from Hone saw him deny Wainwright from the edge of the box.

City were forced to make a switch of their own in the 49th minute when Paul Green limped off to be replaced by Billy Stubbs and within a couple of minutes of this change Wainwright pulled one back for the visitors when he escaped the offside trap before firing an unstoppable drive past Duffy into the roof of the net.

City replied immediately with Ryan shaking off Wiseman before bearing down on Oakes but he delayed his final effort, allowing the Darlington 'keeper the chance to come off his line to smother the ball. The Quakers made the most of this missed chance by going up the other end and pulling back a second.

Darlington's second in the space of four minutes came after a move down their left ended with the ball at the feet of Xavier Barrau. He then sent in a peach of a delivery to the far post and there to head the ball across Duffy and into the opposite corner of the net was Kevin McBride.

Andrew Dobby then replaced Wayne Clarke at the back for Darlington before Shane Clarke sliced a left-footed shot high wide and not very handsomely behind for a goal kick.

Good work from Warlow then saw him force a corner on the City left whilst at the other end good covering from Watt saw him clear a dangerous Hunter centre out for a flag-kick to the visitors. When this was half-cleared Duffy did well to tip over a net-bound Clark Keltie drive.

A 75th minute stoppage for an injury to Wainwright not only gave him the chance to receive treatment but it also gave the respective squads a second chance to grab an intake of fluid. Shortly after the restart Semple forced Oakes to tip his effort across goal behind for a corner.

City's next attack saw Semple break through the middle only to be dragged back by John Brackstone. The Darlington defender quite rightly saw yellow for the challenge and he was duly punished as up stepped Owain Warlow to plant a superb 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.

Lee Welburn was then given a seven-minute run out at left back in place of Adam Hewitt whilst a timely interception by Stubbs then denied Reay a shot on goal before Michael Roddy was booked for handball as he charged down the resultant corner.

A chipped centre from Warlow was then headed wide by Wright as the Imps went in search of a fifth and that fifth duly arrived in the final minute of the game when Semple fed the ball though to Ryan who fired home under the body of the advancing Oakes to wrap up the scoring.