Alfreton 0 Imps 0
There were three changes to the City starting line-up for this rearranged Vanarama Conference match at Alfreton Town with Arnaud Mendy, John Marsden and Jordan Burrow coming in for Marcus Marshall, Conner Robinson and the suspended Delano Sam-Yorke.
City kicked off on a misty Tuesday evening and the only highlight of a scrappy first 10 minutes saw Mendy test the considerable presence of home stopper Jason Mooney before former Alfreton man Ben Tomlinson was flagged offside as he prepared to pull the trigger.
A free-kick at the other end 13 minutes in brought about a decision in the Imps' favour as referee John Brooks spotted a push whilst at the other end a couple of minutes later a deep Jordan Cranston cross was met by Burrow but his header went well wide.
A swift City break then ended with Mendy having a cross held by Mooney whilst midway through the opening period a Power corner came to nothing before a dangerous John Johnston cross was just missed by Joe Ironside in the six-yard box as Alfreton attacked for the first time.
City's reponse saw Tomlinson drill a free-kick into the Alfreton wall before Burrow and Marsden combined only for Bencherif to drill wide. Tomlinson then curled an effort just wide before the game once again became dominated by the referee's whistle and a non-stop stop-start opening period.
The only highlight before half-time came in added time with Simon Lenighan going in hard on Tomlinson to earn himself a yellow card.
HT: ALFRETON 0 IMPS 0
The two teams emerged unchaged for the start of the second half and the Imps were the first to press with a low Cranston cross finding Marsden but he was crowded out as he prepared to pull the trigger.
A 49th minute foul on Karl Hawley saw Mendy booked for persistent infringement with the resultant free-kick leading to an Alfreton corner which was cleared. Five minutes later Tomlinson joined Mendy in the book for a late challenge on Bradley Wood.
Marsden had a 57th minute effort tipped over by Mooney but the corner came to nothing whilst City cleared a Town corner at the other end before another free-kick brought play to a halt.
On the hour mark a deep Caprice cross was met by Burrow but he headed straight at Mooney. Six minutes later Joe Leesley replaced Tom Shaw for the home side. As the clock ticked on a shot on the turn from Marsden flew just over before Shaw blazed well over from 20 yards for the hosts after Hawley caused problems for the City defence.
A rasping snap-shot from Tomlinson in the 73rd minute fizzed inches over the bar as the Imps pressed forward again whilst at the other end a corner to Alfreton was defended well by Bencherif before Shaw fired a low effort across the face of goal and out for a goal-kick.
A second Town switch saw Niall Heaton replace John Johnston with nine minutes on the clock whilst two minutes later Mendy was forced to limp off with Kegan Everington coming on on his place.
Alex Simmons for John Marsden was the Imps' second switch in the 87th minute and he was quickly in the action, forcing Wood to clear his lines after whipping in a cross from the left.
The only action during four additional minutes saw City win a corner but Power's delivery to Burrow was brought to an abrupt halt due to a push by the Imps' striker.
FT: ALFRETON 0 IMPS 0
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
17 Jake CAPRICE
2 Tom MILLER
23 Nat BROWN
7 Jordan CRANSTON
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
12 Arnaud MENDY
8 Alan POWER
11 Ben TOMLINSON
9 Jordan BURROW
10 John MARSDEN
subs
4 Todd JORDAN
18 Kegan EVERINGTON (for MENDY 84)
19 Alex SIMMONS (for MARSDEN 87)
22 Marcus MARSHALL
30 Aidan GRANT
BOOKINGS: MENDY (49), TOMLINSON (54)
ALFRETON TOWN
20 Jason MOONEY
2 Bradley WOOD
3 Lathaniel ROWE-TURNER
5 Luke GRAHAM
12 Tom SHAW
18 Joe IRONSIDE
21 Andi THANOJ
23 Karl HAWLEY
25 Simon LENIGHAN
27 John JOHNSTON
28 Callum HOWE
subs
4 Duane COURTNEY
8 Lee STEVENSON
11 Anthony HOWELL
24 Joe LEESLEY (for IRONSIDE 66)
26 Niall HEATON (for JOHNSTON 81)
BOOKING: LENIGHAN (45+1)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: John Brooks
ASSISTANTS: Graham Kinnear & Adrian Gillett
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Ian Smedley
ATTENDANCE: 744 (145 City supporters)
