Two goals from Hereford winger Gavin McCallum condemned the Imps to a Coca-Cola League 2 defeat at Edgar Street on Tuesday evening.

After skipper Scott Kerr came close to levelling matters shortly after the restart and Constantine struck the woodwork, McCallum drilled home a fine second following good work by Marc Pugh.

City rallied in a bid to get back into the game with Lenny John-Lewis hitting the crossbar with a powerful header but once again a lack of cutting thrust in the attacking third cost City dear with McCallum's earlier double earning his side the three points.

Whilst Nathan Baker shrugged off a knee injury to retain his place in the starting line-up for this Coca-Cola League 2 match against Hereford United at Edgar Street, a groin injury ruled out midfielder Chris Herd. A second switch to the side that started at Burton Albion saw Lenell John-Lewis replace Delroy Facey up front. Facey dropped to the bench where he was joined by new loan signing Steven Lennon.

With a distinct chill in the air, it was City who got things underway and it was a pretty cagey opening to the match with neither goalkeeper troubled in the opening five minutes, although Rob Burch had to be on his guard when Leon Constantine found some space on the right before half-hitting a ball into the box.

City's response saw Paul Green swing in a great cross which somehow evaded a packed penalty area and when play switched to the other end Nathan Baker required treatment after going to ground as he turned to try and block his man. It soon became apparent that the teenager - passed fit shortly before kick-off - was struggling and he was duly replaced by Moses Swaibu with just 10 minutes on the clock.

Shortly afterwards, and with the Imps pressing forward again, a Brian Gilmour ball into the area somehow evaded both Lenny John-Lewis and Cian Hughton who seemed to collide with each other on the six-yard line but this was a rare foray forward from either side as game became some somewhat scrappy.

City won the first corner of the game in the 25th minute but this ended with Gilmour curling a right-footed effort wide of the target whilst three minutes later the home side forced a flag-kick and they made the most of this set-piece by taking the lead. Marc Pugh delivered from the quadrant and after Leon Constantine won a header there to hammer the ball home was an unmarked Craig McCallum.

The goal clearly lifted the Bulls and only a fine save from Burch saw him deny them a second a minute after the restart when McCallum drilled another effort goalwards whilst the City 'keeper had to be on his guard as Paul Downing tried his luck from 25 yards.

Once again the game entered a pretty scrappy period with play centered mainly in the middle third of the field and it wasn't until a couple of minutes before the break when the next real action of note came along; Watts denying Constantine before the resultant corner saw Downing head well wide.

Just as the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on a crunching challenge on Scott Kerr by Kenny Lunt saw the Hereford man enter the book. The resultant free-kick, taken by Oakes, was brought to an abrupt halt when Swaibu was penalised for a foul on home 'keeper Adam Bartlett.

This proved to be the final action of the opening period so as the players went in for the break, McCallum's goal separated the two sides.

HT: HEREFORD 1 IMPS 0

Neither side made any further changes during the interval so it was as you were as referee Roger East restarted proceedings.

The home side were quick out of the traps with a Sam Gwynne cross being met by McCallum who saw his header fly a foot wide but City responded well with some neat build-up play ending with skipper Scott Kerr having a shot pushed away by Bartlett.

At the other end a foul by Swaibu on Gwynne earned the City defender a yellow card and when the resultant free-kick was played in the ball fell to Constantine whose rifled effort crashed against the post before bouncing to safety.

A change for City shortly afterwards saw Delroy Facey replace Stefan Oakes with the switch seeing Facey partner John-Lewis up front but the action was at the other end 10 minutes into the second half as McCallum drilled home his second of the game.

Marc Pugh was the architect of Hereford's second of the game as, after he created space for himself in a central position, he laid the ball into the path of McCallum who saw his drilled effort whistle past Burch.

It was a severe body-blow for the Imps who had started the second half brightly and as they sought to get back into the game, United's Gwynne saw yellow for delaying the taking of a City free-kick.

The Imps continued to press with a looping header from Keltie being saved by Bartlett before Facey forced a corner which was taken by Keltie and just evaded Swaibu at the far post.

City were dealt a further injury blow with 16 minute remaining when Adam Watts was forced to limp out of proceedings. Shane Clarke was his replacement with the Lincoln-born midfielder slotting in as an emergency centre-back.

Shortly afterwards City came close to pulling one back when Keltie swung in a corner but John-Lewis saw his powerful header crash against the crossbar before the ball was hurriedly hacked clear by a home defender.

The Imps kept up the pressure and had what looked to be a decent shout for a penalty when Gilmour went down under Downing's challenge but referee East was having none of it and waved away his protests.

City had less than 10 minutes on the clock if they were to salvage something from the game but the ball continued to run away from them in the attacking third whilst the home side were comfortable in possession as they tried to eat up some seconds.

Home 'keeper Bartlett did well to claim a looping Green cross under pressure from John-Lewis and Facey but just as the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of four minutes were to be added a home free-kick should have seen the hosts add a third but Craig King somehow fired wide with the goal at his mercy after Constantine saw his effort blocked by Burch.

The last action of the game saw two-goal McCallum fire wide from a narrowing angle but this miss didn't matter as referee East blew for time shortly afterwards.

FT: HEREFORD 2 IMPS 0

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Rob BURCH
2 Paul GREEN
22 Adam WATTS
33 Nathan BAKER
38 Joe ANDERSON
7 Stefan OAKES
11 Scott KERR
23 Clark KELTIE
25 Cian HUGHTON
35 Brian GILMOUR
14 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS

subs
5 Moses SWAIBU (for BAKER 10)
36 Delroy FACEY (for OAKES 52)
19 Shane CLARKE (for WATTS 74)
9 Paul CONNOR
16 Steven LENNON
31 Michael GORDON
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

BOOKING: SWAIBU (51)

HEREFORD UNITED
1 Adam BARTLETT
6 Kenny LUNT
7 Marc PUGH
10 Leon CONSTANTINE
14 James McQUILKIN
15 Sam GWYNNE
16 Paul DOWNING
20 Darren JONES
21 Tyler WEIR
26 Craig KING
31 Gavin McCALLUM

subs
5 Keith LOWE
8 Lafeef ELFORD-ALLIYU
12 Edrissa SONKO
19 Craig JONES
22 Matt MANSET
23 Matt DONE
30 Chris ADAMSON

GOALS: McCALLUM (29, 55)

BOOKINGS: LUNT (45+1), GWYNNE (57)

REFEREE: Roger East
ASSISTANTS: Mark Pottage & Mark Heywood
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Philip Bramley

ATTENDANCE: 1,429 (100 City supporters)