The Imps were edged out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at the first hurdle on Tuesday evening with Grimsby Town emerging 5-3 victors on penalties with the game having finished 0-0 at full-time.

With the game at a deadlock following 90 minutes' play and with competition rules deeming that no extra-time would take place in such an event, it was down to kicks from the penalty spot to decide the winners.

The kicks were taken at the Stacey West Stand end of the ground and Grimsby's efforts were all spot on with City's blip coming from Jamie Forrester who saw his penalty - the Imps' first - cannon into the legs of Grimsby 'keeper Phil Barnes.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Head Coach John Schofield used this Johnstone's Paint Trophy first round tie against Grimsby Town to give a number of his 'fringe' players a run out with Colin Cryan, Martin Gritton, Ollie Ryan and Leon Mettam all named in the starting XI. Making way were Nicky Eaden, Jeff Hughes, Jamie Forrester and Mark Stallard with the latter pair being on the bench.

Also back in the starting XI was Nat Brown who came in for his first start of the season, having replaced the injured Adie Moses at Barnet on Saturday following his recovery from a broken bone in his wrist.

After a quiet opening, City looked to make the breakthrough in the fourth minute with a good centre from Leon Mettam almost picking out Ollie Ryan but visiting skipper Justin Whittle rose well to flick the ball off the young striker's head.

A couple of minutes later a Ryan cross was cleared as far as Lee Frecklington who drilled a low shot just wide of the post but it was generally a cagey opening, broken when ex-Imp Ciaran Toner won the first corner in the 13th minute but this led to nothing but a goal-kick to City.

Alan Marriott was called into action in the 17th minute, saving well from Nick Hegarty whilst the Imps' number one was well placed again, holding a Gary Jones effort from just inside the box.

City's first two corners of the evening arrived either side of the 21 minute mark but the Town defence dealt well on both occasions. Another one followed shortly afterwards as the Imps stepped it up a gear but Phil Barnes rose unchallenged to claim Paul Mayo's centre.

Head Coach John Schofield opted to change his goalkeeper in the 27th minute with Simon Rayner replacing Alan Marriott between the sticks. The change allowing the big Canadian to get some valuable first team action under his belt.

At the other end, ex-Grimsby man Martin Gritton came close to connecting with a Ryan Amoo flick after Colin Cryan had whipped in a centre from the right whilst Frecklington was a foot under another Cryan ball in after advancing through the midfield.

In the 37th minute, Mettam forced Barnes to save low to his left whilst the Mariners' response saw Toner's shot deflect behind for a corner. When the flag-kick was played in, Scott Kerr was called upon to block a Jones shot on the line with the ball going behind again.

Gritton then came close to breaking the deadlock but couldn't get enough purchase on his final effort after a ball over the top from Mettam saw the big striker get behind the Grimsby defence.

An excellent save from Rayner two minutes before the break saw him deny Danny Boshell from close range after Town had opened up the Imps' defence. One additional minute came and went without incident so it was as you were as the teams went in for their respective half-time team talks.

HT: IMPS 0 GRIMSBY 0

With no further changes made during the break, it was the Imps who got the second period underway, attacking the Stacey West Stand end of the Stadium.

City were first to press following the restart with Barnes doing well to claim a looping Mettam centre under pressure from Gritton. A foul on Scott Kerr then gave the Imps a chance from a set-piece but the offside flag was quickly raised when Kerr whipped the ball in.

Grimsby responded by winning a corner in the 53rd minute which was headed wide by Hegarty whilst at the other end Mettam fired wide after a pin-point crossfield pass from Frecklington picked out the first year professional.

A weak header back to Rayner from Brown then gave the Mariners a half-chance but Cryan was well positioned to intercept Bore's ball into the box after the youngster had skipped past the advancing City 'keeper.

On the hour mark Gary Croft replaced John McDermott for the visitors as Grimsby boss Graham Rodger made his first change of the evening.

Five minutes after this change a push on Jones by Beevers handed Grimsby a good chance from a free-kick 25 yards out but the Mariners wasted the chance with Boshell blazing well wide.

Town came within inches of breaking the deadlock in the 66th minute when Boshell blasted the ball against the post after Nat Brown was unlucky to see his timely tackle end with the ball screwing away from his possession.

A double switch by the Imps as Rayner waited to take a goal-kick a minute later saw the in-form strike pairing of Mark Stallard and Jamie Forrester come into the fray with Ollie Ryan and Leon Mettam making way.

Another half-chance to the Mariners saw the lively Boshell fire wide from a left-sided cross whilst City's response saw Gritton bring a save from Barnes as the visiting 'keeper advanced from his goal to close down the Lincoln striker.

With the Imps' fans getting behind the men in red and white and a quickly taken free-kick from Stallard forced Whittle to nod behind under pressure from Forrester. When the flag-kick was half-cleared, the offside flag denied Stallard a run on goal from Cryan's ball forward.

Grimsby's experienced striker Tony Thorpe was brought on for Peter Bore with 15 minutes on the clock but he could only look on as a neat passing build-up by the Imps ended with Lee Frecklington being upended 30 yards from goal. The least said about the short free-kick routine the better but the Imps responded with Amoo winning a corner on the right; Beevers subsequently heading Frecklington's corner wide.

Referee Grant Hegley was forced to have words with Frecklington and Boshell - Frecklington for a late challenge on Whittle and Boshell for airing his frustrations a bit to strongly after being adhudged to have fouled the City midfielder.

No cards came out but less than 60 seconds later a yellow card did come out - ironically it went to Frecklington for a mistimed challenge on Boshell!

Good strength from Whittle saw him deny Gritton a run on goal as the clock ticked into its final two minutes. With the game in two minutes' added time and with penalties looming, City continued to press and the visiting defence seemed happy to hack clear at any given opportunity and penalties it was.

FT: IMPS 0 GRIMSBY 0

After both teams decided on their respective penalty takers, all eyes were transferred to the Stacey West Stand end of the ground with Grimsby the first to try their luck.

They outcome was as follows:

Ciaran Toner (G) - scored (0-1)
Jamie Forrester (L) - saved by Barnes (0-1)
Tom Newey (G) - scored (0-2)
Martin Gritton (L) - scored (1-2)
Tony Thorpe (G) - scored (1-3)
Lee Frecklington (L) - scored (2-3)
Danny Boshell (G) - scored (2-4)
Mark Stallard (L) - scored (3-4)
Ricky Ravenhill (G) - scored (3-5)

GRIMSBY WIN 5-3 ON PENALTIES

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
17 Colin CRYAN
2 Lee BEEVERS
23 Nat BROWN
3 Paul MAYO
14 Ryan AMOO
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
15 Martin GRITTON
18 Ollie RYAN
27 Leon METTAM

subs
13 Simon RAYNER (for MARRIOTT 27)
9 Mark STALLARD (for RYAN 68)
22 Jamie FORRESTER (for METTAM 68)
20 Owain WARLOW
26 Shane CLARKE

BOOKING: FRECKLINGTON (80)

GRIMSBY TOWN
1 Phil BARNES
2 John McDERMOTT
3 Tom NEWEY
5 Nick FENTON
6 Justin WHITTLE
10 Ciaran TONER
12 Ricky RAVENHILL
16 Danny BOSHELL
18 Peter BORE
19 Gary JONES
23 Nick HEGARTY

subs
20 Gary CROFT (for McDERMOTT 60)
27 Tony THORPE (for BORE 75)
4 Gary HARKINS
22 Danny NORTH
13 Robert MURRAY

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire)
ASSISTANTS: Ian Smedley & Mark Sutton
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Martin Dexter

ATTENDANCE: 2,019 (248 visiting supporters)

A full match report from the Johnstone's Paint Trophy first round tie between Lincoln City and Grimsby Town at Sincil Bank will be online soon.

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