A stoppage time goal from Wrexham's Mark Jones forced the Imps to settle for just a point from their trip to North Wales, having led courtesy of Simon Yeo's first goal following his return to the Club.
Yeo gave the Imps the lead in the 63rd minute when he slotted home following a quick break by Franny Green but, shortly after substitute Ollie Ryan was denied by the legs of home 'keeper Mike Ingham, disaster struck for the Imps, who had defended solidly throughout.
Wrexham's equaliser came with with a minute of added time on the clock with Mark Jones firing a right-footed effort past Alan Marriott after he was played in by Andy Holt.
It was cruel on the Imps who had certainly enjoyed the better of the game and, until Jones' last-gasp goal, had looked as though they were going to emerge with a well-deserved three points.
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Simon Yeo puts the Imps in front |
report by John Vickers at the Racecourse Ground:
Francis Green, back with the Imps after a month on loan with Boston United, returned to the Imps' starting line-up in place of the suspended Marvin Robinson who was forced to miss the game after accumulating five cautions.
Steve Robinson was back on the bench after a two-month spell with Worksop Town whilst Gary Birch was named as a substitute after missing the last game due to a dead-leg.
It was a brisk afternoon in North Wales and heavy snow was falling as the two teams made their way out of the tunnel with the Imps donned in their away strip of black shirts, red shorts and black socks. Wrexham were in their traditional red and white.
The Imps - starting in a 4-4-2 formation - kicked off and were immediately on the attack with a Green cross on 20 seconds finding Jeff Hughes at the back post but he was unable to get his foot on the ball and it went out of play for a goal-kick.
At the other end, Wrexham forced the first corner of the game but Gareth McAuley was twice on hand to clear any potential danger before Paul Mayo cleared for a throw-in. This eventually ended with McAuley conceding another corner but City once again held firm.
Imps' boss Keith Alexander was forced to make a change as early as the sixth minute with Paul Mayo being replaced by Nat Brown. Mayo looked to be limping as he made his way down the tunnel. Brown went into central midfield with Jeff Hughes dropping back to left-back. Dean Keates moved across into a wider role on the left hand side.
City's first corner came in the following minute but Scott Kerr's delivery was poor and the Wrexham defence were able to clear their lines with ease and with the snow continuing to fall the pitch was becoming very wet, making things difficult for both sets of players.
A Mark Jones free-kick went well wide for the hosts in the 17th minute and from the resultant goal-kick, the Imps attacked and won their second corner. This was taken quickly with Kerr's subsequent centre being held at the second attempt by Wrexham 'keeper Mike Ingham.
The snow was starting to come down quite heavily as Yeo slid in to try and get on the end of a Green cross whilst at the other end Alan Marriott was forced to go down low to his left to palm a Dean Bennett effort behind for a corner.
City certainly enjoyed the better of the the opening quarter of the game, although McCombe had to be alert to deny Darren Ferguson a run on goal and a timely interception by Dean Keates saw him block a Jones cross.
The Imps forced their third corner after a great ball from McAuley saw him pick out Green on the left with the quickly taken flag-kick seeing Kerr whip a dangerous ball into the box only for the home defence to scramble it clear.
A dreadful ball across the face of his own goal in the 32nd minute from Trinidad & Tobago international Dennis Lawrence - put under pressure well by Franny Green - saw Simon Yeo swing and miss on the six yard box and Wrexham responded to this scare by forcing another corner which was cleared by the head of McAuley.
The game entered a lull period for 10 minutes but suddenly came to life when a Jeff Hughes clearance went straight into the body of Jon Walters six yards from goal but fortunately for City, the ball landed straight in the arms of Alan Marriott.
Just the one minute of added time was indicated by the Fourth Official and those 60 seconds came and went without incident meaning that the half ended as it had started - goalless.
HT: WREXHAM 0 IMPS 0
The Imps came out unchanged but Wrexham made one switch prior to the start of the second half with Dave Bayliss replacing Dennis Lawrence at the back.
It was a very quiet opening to the second period until Wrexham winning two corners in quick succession seven minutes after the restart but Alan Marriott was on hand on both occasions to keep out the home threat.
At the other end Simon Yeo should perhaps have pulled the trigger from 25 yards rather than slotting the ball through to Franny Green who had strayed into an offside position whilst a Kerr centre saw Nat Brown go to ground before Dean Keates looped the ball back into the danger area only for the Wrexham defence to clear their lines.
Yeo tried his luck from long range as he spotted goalkeeper Mike Ingham off his line only for the ball to drop well wide and Brown dragged an effort wide as the Imps upped the tempo in a bid to grab the advantage.
The Imps had a gilt-edged chance to do just that just after the hour mark when a poor back pass from substitute Bayliss landed straight into the path of Yeo. The City man took his time before firing goalwards but his eventual effort was always going wide after he hit the ball with the outside of his left boot.
It didn't take Yeo long before he made amends though as, in t 63rd minute, he put the Imps in front. The goal stemmed from a quick break down the right by Franny Green who ran at pace before playing the ball forward. Scott Kerr helped it on into the path of Yeo, who had created space for himself, and he did the rest slotting the ball home for his first goal since his return to the Club.
Shortly afterwards, City came close to making it 2-0 when a Kerr free-kick forced Ingham to tip the ball over the bar with Dean Keates' firing in a low drive after the corner was half-cleared which was well held by the Wrexham goalkeeper.
Wrexham boss Denis Smith made a double change in the 70th minute with Robbie Foy and Jamie Reed coming on for Dean Bennett and Matt Crowell. Before either player touched the ball, Shaun Pejic was lucky to escape without a caution after upending Green who was looking lively in attack.
A great saving challenge by Gareth McAuley protected the Imps' lead after Walters tried to get on the end of a Foy centre whilst a handball decision against Dean Keates gave the hosts a chance with a free-kick from 25 yards. Darren Ferguson's effort was tame though and Marriott easly gathered the ball.
A foul by McAuley gave the Red Dragons another chance from the same spot but Jamie McCombe stood firm twice to block a couple of efforts from Mark Jones. Wrexham's next attack saw Luke Foster and Colin Cryan put their bodies on the line, getting in great blocks on Andy Holt and Jones.
At the other end, Simon Yeo was denied by a saving challenge from Pejic and this was his final contribution as he was replaced by Ollie Ryan with four minutes remaining. Gary Birch came on for Franny Green at the same time. Both Yeo and Green had worked tirelessly all afternoon.
A couple of offside decisions against Birch ate up a few seconds as the clock ticked into the first of three additional minutes and when Birch showed good strength down the left, he squared the ball back to Ryan who was denied by the feet of goalkeeper Ingham.
Disaster struck shortly afterwards though as Wrexham levelled with just 60 seconds on the clock. The goal came from Mark Jones who fired a right-footed effort past Alan Marriott after he was played in by Andy Holt.
It was cruel on the Imps who had certainly enjoyed the better of the game and, until Jones' last-gasp goal, had looked as though they were going to emerge with a well-deserved three points.
FT: WREXHAM 1 IMPS 1
MATCH FACTS
LINCOLN CITY
Alan MARRIOTT
Colin CRYAN
Paul MAYO
Gareth McAULEY
Jamie McCOMBE
Scott KERR
Luke FOSTER
Dean KEATES
Jeff HUGHES
Francis GREEN
Simon YEO
Subs:
Nat BROWN (for MAYO 6)
Ollie RYAN (for YEO 86)
Gary BIRCH (for GREEN 86)
Steve ROBINSON
Leon METTAM
Goal: YEO (63)
WREXHAM
Mike INGHAM
Dennis LAWRENCE
Andy HOLT
Danny WILLIAMS
Jon WALTERS
Darren FERGUSON
Dean BENNETT
Lee ROCHE
Matt CROWELL
Mark JONES
Shaun PEJIC
Subs:
Dave BAYLISS (for LAWRENCE h/t)
Robbie FOY (for BENNETT 70)
Jamie REED (for CROWELL 70)
Alex SMITH
Michael JONES
Goal: Mark JONES (90+)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Patrick Miller (Hertfordshire)
Assistants: Karl Evans & Neil Hancox
Fourth Official: David Unsworth
Attendance: 3,809 (212 City supporters)
