Report
City boss Gary Simpson made three changes to the starting line-up for this Skrill Premier game against Welling United at Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium with Jon Nolan, Conner Robinson and new signing Kris Bright replacing Todd Jordan, Bohan Dixon and Danny Rowe.
The Imps kicked off attacking the Bridge McFarland Stand and were quickly on the attack, enjoying the better of the opening stages as they looked for an early breakthrough.
That breakthrough duly came in the fifth minute when Alan Power kept the ball alive close to the touchline, laid it back to Dan Gray who saw his low cross missed by the visiting defence. There to capitalise was debutant KRIS BRIGHT who swept home past a static Jamie Turner.
A couple of minutes after the restart Ben Tomlinson headed over after Robinson nodded a cross across the box into his team mate's path. A crunching challenge on Charlee Adams by Jake Gallagher then earned the United man a ticking off before Sean Newton saw his free-kick cleared.
In the 13th minute Bright was denied by Turner after meeting a Power free-kick at the back stick before Robinson dragged a shot wide as the Imps pushed for a second against a Welling side that offered nothing during the first quarter of the game.
The game entered a somewhat scrappy period before Welling's first attempt saw Toby Ajala fire lamely at Nick Townsend on the half-hour mark. A late challenge on Bright then earned Welling midfielder Gallagher a deserved yellow card.
It wasn't long before the visitors pushed forward again and in the 37th minute they got back on level terms when Josh Wakefield picked up a loose ball, cut in from the left and curled an excellent effort into the top corner of Townsend's net from 25 yards.
City looked for a quick response with Nat Brown denied by Turner's fingertips after meeting a Newton corner but play immediately up the other end with Harry Beautyman duly firing his side in front following a quick break forward; a slight deflection on his shot seeing the ball go past Townsend.
A shell-shocked City then saw Robinson have a shot charged down following a Power free-kick before Brown drilled wide from the edge of the box. At the other end, and as the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of one minute was to be added on, City had Townsend to thank as he palmed away a downward header following a free-kick into the Imps' area.
HT: IMPS 1 WELLING 2
Whilst the Imps emerged unchanged, Lee Clarke replaced Joe Healy for the visitors prior to the start of the second half.
It was a quiet opening to things following the restart with very little action of note at either end and in a bit to liven things up Jake Sheridan was introduced in place of Conner Robinson on the left.
On the hour mark Welling striker Tobi Sho-Silva fired well wide whilst Sheridan's first taste of the action saw him force a throw-in which was subsequently dealt with by the United defence.
In the 66th minute a superb one-handed save from Townsend saw him deny Beautyman following a quick Welling counter-attack whilst Todd Jordan came on for Jon Nolan two minute later.
Shortly afterwards Gray was booked for dissent after a throw-in decision went against him before Ross Lafayette replaced Ajala for the visitors. Lafeyette immediately picked up a booking for kicking the ball away.
City won two unproductive corners as the game went into its final 15 minutes whilst Basile Karagiannis for Josh Wakefield was United's final switch with 79 on the clock.
Tom Bender saw yellow for a tug on Sheridan before the visitors won their first corner of the game. This saw Alfie Mawson get in a downward header which Townsend did well to tip over. At the other end sponsors' 'Man of the Match' Power volleyed well over.
City had four additional minutes in which to salvage something from the game but the nearest they came was when Power forced Turner into a save low to his right.
FT: IMPS 1 WELLING 2
LINCOLN CITY
30 Nick TOWNSEND
15 Dan GRAY
23 Nat BROWN
5 Thierry AUDEL
3 Sean NEWTON
19 Jon NOLAN
26 Charlee ADAMS
8 Alan POWER
16 Conner ROBINSON
11 Ben TOMLINSON
18 Kris BRIGHT
subs
4 Todd JORDAN (for NOLAN 68)
9 Danny ROWE
12 Jake SHERIDAN (for ROBINSON 59)
24 Arnaud MENDY
31 David PREECE
GOAL: BRIGHT (5)
BOOKING: GRAY (69)
WELLING UNITED
13 Jamie TURNER
2 Loui FAZAKERLEY
14 Blaine HUDSON
36 Alfie MAWSON
6 Tom BENDER
21 Harry BEAUTYMAN
4 Jake GALLAGHER
33 Joe HEALY
35 Tobi SHO-SILVA
32 Josh WAKEFIELD
37 Toby AJALA
subs
5 Basile KARAGIANNIS (for WAKEFIELD 79)
8 Lee CLARKE (for HEALY h/t)
9 Kurtis GUTHRIE
10 Ross LAFAYETTE (for AJALA 72)
16 Connor McLAREN
GOALS: WAKEFIELD (37), BEAUTYMAN (40)
BOOKINGS: GALLAGHER (34), LAFAYETTE (73), BENDER (81)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Karl Evans
ASSISTANTS: Mark Cunliffe & David McNamara
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Richard Woodward
ATTENDANCE: 1,623 (24 visiting supporters)
