Imps 2 Aldershot 0
City boss Chris Moyses named an unchanged starting line-up for the fourth successive game as they welcomed Aldershot Town to Sincil Bank Stadium. There was a change on the bench though with Matt Sparrow in for Conner Robinson who was absent due to a family bereavement.
A heavy rain shower greeted the two teams as they were led out of the tunnel by referee Joe Johnson but the wet stuff had subsided when Aldershot kicked off attacking the Stacey West Stand.
The visitors were the first to press, winning a corner on the 45 second mark, but after City cleared their lines a counter-attack resulted in a corner at the opposite end. Greg Tempest's delivery however got caught in the wind and the ball sailed straight out for a throw-in.
In the seventh minute a great piece of skill by James Caton saw him force Omar Beckles into a rash challenge and after Terry Hawkridge's free-kick was half-cleared, the City number 12 kept the ball alive and chipped in a delicious cross; there on the end of it was JAMIE McCOMBE who headed neatly past Phil Smith for his first goal following his return to the Club.
A quiet spell followed the goal with the next action of note coming in the 16th minute when a mistimed challenge by Alan Power on Nathan Ralph saw the City skipper pick up a yellow card.
Four minutes later Matt Rhead came close to connecting with a Hawkridge cross but a covering defender just beat him to the ball. A City corner quickly followed but Bradley Wood couldn't direct Tempest's delivery goalwards and the game remained 1-0.
Rhead was inches away from another Hawkridge cross before a decent City attack ended with Power finding the side netting from a narrow angle. These both came before Shots striker Ross Lafayette needed treatment after going down holding his head.
Nine minutes before the break Beckles tries to take Muldoon's shirt off his back but nothing came from the resultant free-kick and shortly after Rhead was left grounded after Beckles went straight through the back of him. This incident went unspotted by the officials.
As the break approached Caton and Wood exchanged passes before the former won a corner and after Rhead's header was blocked, skipper Power kept the ball alive only to be upended by Jim Stevenson just inside the box. Referee Johnson was quick to point to the spot and he also booked the Shots offender.
Visiting stopper Smith saved Stevenson's blushes though, superbly tipping Rhead's penalty out for a corner which ended up with Rhead heading inches wide.
HT: IMPS 1 ALDERSHOT 0
Heavy rain was falling and the wind was biting cold as the two teams emerged from the comfort of the dressing room for the start of the second half.
The first action of the second period came when McCombe was harshly penalised for hand ball just outside the box. The free-kick was drilled straight into the City wall by Ralph.
Shortly afterwards Paul Farman was quickly off his line to deny Stevenson and after Hawkridge read the corner routine, City broke at pace and when Muldoon picked out Rhead he saw his diving header clip the top of the bar and go out for a goal-kick.
Referee Johnson gave Beckles a final warning following a foul on Rhead before a Tempest corner caused panic with Rhead having a shot blocked before the ball was cleared.
On the hour mark, the Imps were gifted a second goal when a low Wood cross was sliced straight past Smith by Joe Oastler; the Shots centre-back left red-faced as he was consoled by his team mates.
Dan Walker replaced Alfie Pavey three minutes later before Bush deflected a Stevenson drive over the bar and out for a corner which came to nothing other than a City throw-in.
Beckles was eventually booked for persistent infringement in the 66th minute following a foul on Muldoon and Cheye Alexander joined him four minutes, again for a trip on Muldoon. McCombe headed the resultant free-kick a foot wide.
In the 73rd minute Hawkridge saw yellow for a foul on Ralph who was replaced by Tom Richards a minute later.
Caton and Muldoon then linked up before the latter saw his shot deflect out for a corner; this was taken deep by Hawkridge to Wood at the back post but he fired wide.
Shortly after Muldoon saw his header from a Hawkridge free-kick tipped over by Smith, Courtney Wildin replaced Greg Tempest who got a great reception as he left the pitch. This switch saw Wood move forward into midfield with Beevers switching to right-back.
The sixth booking of what was far from a dirty game went to Rhead following a trip on Richards before Rhys Browne tried his luck from 25 yards but saw his curling effort clip the outside of the post.
In the 86th minute Robbie McDaid replaced Jack Muldoon and he was quickly involved, playing his part in a move which ended with Smith holding a Caton effort at the second attempt.
George Maris came on for Matt Rhead in the second of five added minutes; all of which saw City in possession and comfortably on their way to another three points and a season double over the Shots.
FT: IMPS 2 ALDERSHOT 0
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
2 Bradley WOOD
3 Greg TEMPEST
6 Chris BUSH
7 Jack MULDOON
8 Alan POWER
9 Matt RHEAD
12 Terry HAWKRIDGE
18 Lee BEEVERS
27 Jamie McCOMBE
28 James CATON
subs
19 Robbie McDAID (for MULDOON 86)
21 Matt SPARROW
24 Courtney WILDIN (for TEMPEST 78)
29 George MARIS (for RHEAD 90+2)
13 Aidan GRANT
GOALS: McCOMBE (8), OASTLER (60 og)
BOOKINGS: POWER (16), HAWKRIDGE (73), RHEAD (83)
ALDERSHOT TOWN
1 Phil SMITH
2 Joe OASTLER
3 Sean McGINTY
8 Jim STEVENSON
12 Cheye ALEXANDER
14 Omar BECKLES
15 Rhys BROWNE
16 Jake GALLAGHER
20 Alfie PAVEY
23 Ross LAFAYETTE
24 Nathan RALPH
subs
5 Jack SAVILLE
7 Sam HATTON
11 Tom RICHARDS (for RALPH 74)
19 Dan WALKER (for PAVEY 63)
13 Dan THOMAS
BOOKINGS: STEVENSON (45+1), BECKLES (66), ALEXANDER (70)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Joe Johnson
ASSISTANTS: Sean Richardson & Aaron Jackson
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Michael Crusham
ATTENDANCE: 2,398 (119 visiting supporters)
