Ten-man City slipped to defeat at Hereford United's antiquated Edgar Street ground on Saturday afternoon.

City were forced to play for all but the opening eight minutes with 10 men after Gary Croft was dismissed for deliberate handball on the goalline after a goalmouth scramble ended with the ball being blasted at the Imps' defender from close range.

Theo Robinson scored from the resultant penalty but City battled back with Lee Frecklington firing home a Hamza Bencherif knock-down after an Owain Warlow centre was met by the big Algerian.

The Imps continued to battle and more than matched their high-flying hosts but they were dealt a blow a minute before the break when full-back Trent McClenahan fired home from the edge of the box after making the most of the space gained from Croft's dismissal.

The second half was an evenly-match affair, although nothing seemed to run for the Imps and in the end it was left to Hereford midfielder Ben Smith to make sure of the points six minutes from time.

The final action of the game saw substitute Louis Dodds curl a right-footed shot against the woodwork and this seemed to sum up what was a frustrating afternoon for Peter Jackson and his battling troops.

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
28 Ben SMITH
2 Paul GREEN
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
27 Daniel HONE
3 Gary CROFT
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
8 Jamie FORRESTER
20 Owain WARLOW
15 Ben WRIGHT
17 Dany N'GUESSAN

subs
29 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS (for FORRESTER 65)
26 Jamie HAND (for GREEN 82)
19 Louis DODDS (for KERR 82)
21 Phil WATT
1 Alan MARRIOTT

GOAL: FRECKLINGTON (20)

BOOKINGS: FORRESTER (36), BENCHERIF (50), KERR (69)

SENDING OFF: CROFT (8)

HEREFORD UNITED
1 Wayne BROWN
2 Trent McCLENAHAN
5 John McCOMBE
8 Ben SMITH
9 Steve GUINAN
15 Sam GWYNNE
18 Lee COLLINS
20 Toumani DIAGOURAGA
22 Theo ROBINSON
23 Simon JOHNSON
28 Dean BECKWITH

subs
12 Trevor BENJAMIN (for GUINAN 82)
14 Michael INGHAM
10 Kris TAYLOR
19 Marcus PALMER
27 Craig JONES

GOALS: ROBINSON (10), McCLENAHAN (44), SMITH (84)

BOOKING: ROBINSON (72)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Danny McDermid (Greater London)
ASSISTANTS: A Matthews & L Swabey
FOURTH OFFICIAL: J Cox

ATTENDANCE: 2,528 (209 City supporters)