A controversial second half penalty was enough to see the Imps slip to defeat against high-flying Chester City at Sincil Bank on Friday evening.

In a game which was delayed by nearly an hour due to Chester's late arrival, it was an incident 10 minutes into the second half that proved to be the game's main talking point.

There seemed to be nothing untowards as Chester striker Chris Holroyd headed a cross from the right wide of the target but referee Trevor Kettle unbelievably pointed to the spot as Holroyd got to his feet, having beaten Hamza Bencherif and Paul Green to win the header. Confusion reined and Green was booked before Tony Dinning neatly chipped home from 12 yards.

City, who were forced to change things around at the back in the opening period with teenager Danny Hone replacing Lee Beevers, who was sent to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder, battled throughout the game with Steve Torpey seeing an early header crash against the crossbar whilst his replacement Ben Wright had a second half effort disallowed after Bencherif was penalised for a push.

In the end though the final ball just wouldn't arrive and, not for the first time, the topic of conversation at the final whistle concerned the performance of Rutland-based referee Mr Kettle, who felt the wrath of Peter Jackson's tongue as he made his way back to the dressing room at the end of the game.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Peter Jackson's first game as Imps' boss was delayed somewhat following the late arrival of Chester City to Sincil Bank Stadium with the kick-off being put back to 8.40pm.

Jackson made two changes to the side that started at Brentford with Steve Torpey and Dany N'Guessan coming in for Ben Wright and Ryan Amoo.

Referee Trevor Kettle got proceedings underway and City were quick to break, with a Scott Kerr free-kick in the opening minute forcing the visitors to hurriedly clear the lines whilst at the other end a great block from Hamza Bencherif denid Chris Holroyd from the edge of the box.

City replied by winning another free-kick which was wasted as Jamie Hand fired straight into the wall whilst a clever move down the City left saw Gary Croft whip in a centre to Steve Torpey but he could only look on as his superb header crashed against the bar before bouncing away from Louis Dodds.

Chester's response saw them force the opening corner of the game just into the 10th minute but City held firm. Shortly afterwards Dany N'Guessan and Paul Linwood went for a bouncing ball with a scuffle duly ensuing. Referee Kettle promptly produced yellow cards for Bencherif and Tony Dinning whilst strong words were said to the two players involved in the original incident.

Visiting skipper Paul Butler then added his name in the book for saying something out of turn as the Imps were awarded a free-kick. When Kerr was able to take the set-piece, he curled the ball just wide.

Croft then drilled an effort wide following a spell of pressure from City just before the half reached its midway point whilst Chester won their second and third corners in the 25th minute; brave defending from Lee Beevers denying ex-Imp Kevin Ellison from the first, with physio Michael Wait called into action. Beevers looked to be in some discomfort as he was helped to his feet and left holding his right arm indicating a possible dislocated shoulder.

Teenager Danny Hone was thrown on as his replacement for his Football League debut and was straight into the action, heading the corner clear.

At the other end Lee Frecklington saw his goalbound shot take a deflection before bouncing the wrong side of the upright. Kerr's delivery from the quadrant was nodded down by Hone before N'Guessan saw his header claimed by John Danby.

Danby's counterpart Alan Marriott was then called into action as Linwood tried his luck from range following a short free-kick whilst an injury to Chester's Mark Hughes led to another break in play.

Just before the Fourth Official indicated that an additional three minutes were to be played at the end of the first half, great work from N'Guessan down the right then saw him swing in a centre which was flicked wide by Torpey at full stretch

HT: IMPS 0 CHESTER 0

With Lee Beevers taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated right shoulder, the teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second period.

It was a pretty scrappy start to the second half with neither side threatening, although the Imps were denied a corner when N'Guessan's centre hit Simon Marples before going behind with referee Kettle giving a goal kick.

Skipper Scott Kerr then picked up a caution for persistent infringement before Rutland-based official Kettle took centre stage.

There seemed to be nothing untowards as Chester striker Holroyd headed a cross from the right wide of the target but Kettle unbelievably pointed to the spot as Holroyd got to his feet, having beaten Bencherif and Green to win the header. Confusion reined with the referee indicating a hand ball before he booked Green. Tony Dinning then neatly chipped home from 12 yards.

Before play restarted Ben Wright replaced Steve Torpey up front for the Imps and man in black Kettle was winning no friends amongst the City fans as he awarded the visitors a succession of free-kicks, one seeing Marriott claim an Ellison header.

Midway through the half, Simon Marples made the most of things after being pushed by N'Guessan as he shielded the ball out of play, staying grounded before being treated by his physio.

Shortly afterwards the City fans were on their feet as Ben Wright swept the ball home but Mr Kettle was at it again, ruling the effort out, indicating that Bencherif had held his man down as he helped the ball forward.

In the 72nd minute former Imp Kevin Ellison saw yellow for a foul on Green whilst seconds later Chris Holroyd joined him after going in late on Croft. Simon Yeo was then thrown on for Holroyd as the clock went past 10.15pm.

A fierce volley from N'Guessan was held well by Danby after the ball skidded off the surface and an overhead kick from Kerr also landed in the keeper's gloves. At the other end Richie Partridge fired well over with 10 minutes remaining.

A third and final change for City saw Owain Warlow replace Lee Frecklington in the 84th minute and his cross three minutes later led to a corner on the opposite side. Yeo was on hand to pick the loose ball up though when Hand's delivery fell to him on the edge of the box.

Time was running out though, with the Fourth Official indicating that a minimum of four minutes were to be added. The majority of the first of these added minutes were taken up as Chester delayed a corner whilst the final three saw City pump men forward but the final ball wasn't forthcoming.

FT: IMPS 0 CHESTER 1

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Alan MARRIOTT
2 Paul GREEN
5 Lee BEEVERS
25 Hamza BENCHERIF
3 Gary CROFT
7 Lee FRECKLINGTON
11 Scott KERR
26 Jamie HAND
17 Dany N'GUESSAN
10 Steve TORPEY
19 Louis DODDS

subs
27 Danny HONE (for BEEVERS 29)
15 Ben WRIGHT (for TORPEY 58)
20 Owain WARLOW (for FRECKLINGTON 84)
14 Ryan AMOO
13 Ayden DUFFY

BOOKINGS: BENCHERIF (12), KERR (52), GREEN (56)

CHESTER CITY
12 John DANBY
11 Kevin ELLISON
7 Richie PARTRIDGE
9 John MURPHY
2 Simon MARPLES
17 Laurence WILSON
20 Chris HOLROYD
4 Tony DINNING
19 Paul LINWOOD
14 Mark HUGHES
6 Paul BUTLER

subs
8 Simon YEO (for HOLROYD 76)
10 Nathan LOWNDES
21 Paul RUTHERFORD
23 Phillip PALETHORPE
25 Kevin ROBERTS

GOAL: DINNING (57 pen)

BOOKINGS: DINNING (12), BUTLER (14), ELLISON (72), HOLROYD (73)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Trevor Kettle (Rutland)
ASSISTANTS: Nigel Murphy & Andrew Newbold
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Mark Brown

ATTENDANCE: 3,960 (151 visiting supporters)