Ipswich 2 Imps 2
City boss Danny Cowley named an unchanged starting line-up for this Emirates FA Cup Third Round tie against Ipswich Town at Portman Road. New loan signing Sean Long was named amongst the substitutes.Ipswich kicked off and were quick to press, forcing City to defend a couple of corners in the opening stages but it wasn't long before the 4,800 travelling Imps' fans were on their feet as
The Imps were backed by almost 5,000 fans and it wasn't long before they were on their feet as, when the ball was played wide to Nathan Arnold he picked out THEO ROBINSON who fired past Dean Gerken from six yards to give the Imps a seventh minute lead.
The advantage lasted only five minutes however as when Alan Power gave possession away cheaply in midfield, Tom Lawrence punished him, advancing forward and drilling past Paul Farman for the leveller.
After this lively opening things calmed down a bit as the 20 minute mark came and went with a lame long range effort from Bett Pitman which sailed well over the City bar being the only effort towards goal of note.
On the half-hour mark Terry Hawkridge found Arnold down the middle but the latter saw his low effort claimed well by Gerken to his left and shortly afterwards penalty appeals as Robinson appeared to be held in the box were waved away by referee Probert.
In the 32nd minute a quick Arnold free-kick saw him find Wood but his cross to Robinson was intercepted and as good spell of pressure by the Imps continued Hawkridge forced City's first corner of the game which ended up with Power having a volley deflect behind for another flag-kick which resulted in a push by Waterfall and a free-kick to the hosts.
Two minutes before the break an Ipswich attack ended with Andre Dozzell's deflected drive leading to a corner and after Waterfall headed this behind, the follow-up delivery led to an overhead kick by Pitman which was held by Farman. Pitman hit the deck heavy and needed treatment before returning.
The half ended after three additional minutes of play.
HT: IPSWICH 1 IMPS
There were no changes in personnel as the Imps restarted the game and it was City who were the first to press following the restart with an Arnold run down the right ending with his cross to Robinson being cleared for a corner.
The flag-kick was kept alive by Waterfall who found Robinson who in turn saw his curling effort held at full stretch by Gerken and shortly afterwards Hawkridge won the ball and found Arnold but he was denied by the onrushing Town stopper.
City were more than holding their own as the hour mark passed, although there was a slight scare when a shot on the turn from Freddie Sears flew a foot wide of the City post.
Shortly afterwards an inswinging cross-cum-shot from Habergham was held by Gerken but the Imps continued to pile on the pressure and in the 65th minute the lead was restored. It was route one stuff as a Farman free-kick lead to a mistake in the home defence and in nipped THEO ROBINSON to bag his second of the game.
Robinson was booked for taking his shirt off in celebration as the 4,838 travelling fans went wild in the aisles.
The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of the hosts and it was a good nine minutes before they threatened, although a long-range free-kick from Lawrence was never going to threaten Farman with the ball flying well over.
With the game in its final 10 minutes a spell of Ipswich pressure ended with Pitman firing over from the edge of the box and moments later Jack Muldoon came on for two-goal Theo Robinson who received a standing ovation from the travelling hoards.
Farman was at full stretch to push away a downward header as the clock ticked on and with just four minutes on the clock Lawrence fired low past Farman from 25 yards to produce a leveller from nowhere.
There was a delay to the restart as Farman's needed treatment and when play did resum the hosts were quick to attack with Farman deflecting a Lawrence effort out for a corner.
After weathering some more pressure Woodyard was released down the middle by Arnold but the back-tracking Emmanuel denied him with a last ditch tackle. Sean Long then replaced for Matt Rhead in the first of four added minutes.
There was a yellow card for Habergham following a shirt pull before the game ended with a long throw being claimed by Farman.
A replay then to settle the victors!
FT: IPSWICH 2 IMPS 2
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
2 Bradley WOOD
3 Sam HABERGHAM
5 Luke WATERFALL
8 Alan POWER
9 Matt RHEAD
11 Terry HAWKRIDGE
25 Sean RAGGETT
28 Nathan ARNOLD
30 Alex WOODYARD
31 Theo ROBINSON
subs
7 Jack MULDOON (for ROBINSON 82)
10 Adam MARRIOTT
12 Sean LONG (for RHEAD 90+1)
14 Taylor MILES
22 Jack FIXTER
27 Jamie McCOMBE
23 Jimmy WALKER
GOALS: ROBINSON (7 & 65)
BOOKINGS: ROBINSON (66), HABERGHAM (90+3)
IPSWICH TOWN
1 Dean GERKEN
3 Jonas KNUDSON
6 Christophe BERRA
11 Brett PITMAN
15 Adam WEBSTER
17 Kevin BRU
18 Grant WARD
20 Freddie SEARS
23 Andre DOZZELL
27 Tom LAWRENCE
29 Josh EMMANUEL
subs
22 Jonathan DOUGLAS
25 Shane McLOUGHLIN
26 Adam McDONNELL
32 Ben MORRIS
40 George FOWLER
41 Pat WEBBER
33 Bartosz BIALKOWSKI
GOALS: LAWRENCE (12 & 86)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Lee Probert
ASSISTANTS: Neil Davies & Marc Wilson
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Nick Kinseley
ATTENDANCE: 16,027 (4,838 City supporters)
