Top scorer Davide Somma was sent off as the Imps and Macclesfield Town ended the season by battling out a goalless draw at Sincil Bank Stadium.

Somma was dismissed midway through the second half by referee Andy Haines after he appeared to head-butt Sean Hessey after the Town skipper blocked the South African's run forward as he sprinted forward to try and get on the end of a Joe Anderson cross.

Prior to his dismissal, the Leeds loanee had rattled the woodwork with a header with Steven Lennon also hitting the post from his follow-up effort whilst at the other end Rob Burch produced a string of impressive saves to keep out the Town attack.

The best chance of the game came in the opening half when Clark Keltie released Lennon but the Scot was denied by Jose Veiga when one-on-one with the Silkmen 'keeper.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Lenell John-Lewis for Brian Gilmour was the only change for this final Coca-Cola League 2 game of the season with Macclesfield Town being the visitors to Sincil Bank Stadium.

The Silkmen kicked off attacking the GoCar Stand in the opening period and they were the first to press with a long ball forward forcing Danny Hone to concede the first corner of the gamebut as the centre was played in referee Andy Haines spotted an infringement and play restarted with a free-kick to the Imps.

Junior Daniel then tested Rob Burch from range but the 2009/10 Player of the Season flung himself full length to his left to palm the ball behind. Daniel blazed well wide when the resultant corner fell to the Town player on the edge of the box.

The visitors were certainly enjoying the better of the opening exchanges, interrupted in the 10th minute when a throughball from John-Lewis to Davide Somma just had too much pace on it and Town 'keeper Jose Veiga was able to come off his line and smother the ball.

At the other end Vinny Mukendi turned Hone before firing a foot over whilst City's response saw Somma win City's first corner of the game. Matt Saunders picked out John-Lewis with his inswinging delivery but the ball was blocked by Sean Hessey before being hacked to safety.

With the game opening out a bit, Emile Sinclair drilled a low effort wide in the 17th minute from the Silkmen's next attack before the lively striker forced a corner on the City right. This one duly led to another which was headed away by Scott Kerr whilst the Imps' skipper then blocked a low John Rooney shot for a third flag-kick in quick succession.

In the 25th minute a great ball forward from Clark Keltie saw him pick out Steven Lennon who had moved inside but the Scot was denied by Veiga who spread himself well to block the Rangers loanee's shot.

City's reply saw David Stephens advance forward before drilling over from 25 yards and after Daniel volleyed over at the other end, shouts for a penalty as Somma went to ground were waved away by referee Andy Haines.

Keltie picked up a 38th minute yellow card for a foul on Sinclair and after Joe Anderson had blocked a Mukendi effort on the line, a City corner led to nothing but a throw-in in the Imps' favour.

Five minutes after his caution, Keltie was in trouble again after a mistimed challenge on Lee Bell left the Town midfielder grounded. Referee Haines had strong words with the midfielder as a result, warning him that he was heading towards dodgy ground.

One added minute passed without further incident so it was all-square as the teams went in for their half-time breather.

HT: IMPS 0 MACCLESFIELD 0

Whilst Macclesfield emerged unchanged for the start of the second half, a switch for City saw Richard Butcher replace Clark Keltie in the middle of the park.

The first attempt at goal following the break saw Rooney fire straight at Burch from 10 yards out and the Town forward was at the centre of things seven minutes into the second period when his petulant kick at Lennon earned him a yellow card. Carl Tremarco quickly followed him in the book after he hacked Hughton to the ground.

The resultant free-kick, taken by Anderson, ended up being headed behind for a corner but Veiga emerged with the ball in his gloves when it was chipped back in from Kerr after Saunders' flag-kick was played to the skipper by Butcher.

Lennon then picked out John-Lewis who was taken wide by Izak Reid before seeing his goalbound drive hammer against the Macclesfield full-back for a corner. The flag-kick was taken deep by Saunders and when it was met by Somma, he saw his header crash against the left upright before Lennon saw his follow-up effort hit the right hand post before the ball bounced away from a red and white shirted player.

At the other end Paul Bolland created space for himself before seeing his powerful drive tipped behind by Burch for Town's ninth corner of the game. Number 10 quickly followed and this one saw Daniel get in an overhead kick which was headed off the line by Anderson.

As the half approached its midway point, Somma was blatantly blocked off the ball by Hessey as he sprinted forward to try and get on the end of an Anderson cross. Referee Haines obviously missed the incident but he was on the spot when the two players went nose-to-nose in the Town area and when Somma appeared to move his head towards that of Hessey, the official was quick to brandish a red card in the direction of the Imps' leading scorer.

A second City substitution saw Brian Gilmour replace John-Lewis as Lennon moved to a central striking role in Somma's absence. Play was at the other end, however, with Burch superbly tipping behind a powerful Sinclair effort.

After City defended a 13th Macclesfield corner Craig Lindfield replaced Vinny Mukendi for the visitors and shortly after this switch Scott Kerr had a low drive held by Veiga. Saunders was then denied by the Town 'keeper after a slick City move involving Butcher and Anderson ended with Gilmour laying the ball into Saunders' path.

A ball over the top from Anderson then set Lennon free but he was denied by ex-Imp Nat Brown and when the resultant corner was played in Lennon was penalised for a foul on Veiga.

With the game approaching its closing stages a block on Lennon by Hessey earned the Macclesfield defender a yellow card. Before the free-kick was taken Michael Thomas replaced Lee Bell for the Silkmen.

The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on and midway through the added stages, Bolland had a shot excellently saved by the sponsors' man of the match Burch.

There was still time for Sinclair to surge forward only for Hughton to clear his low centre for a corner and when City cleared their lines, referee Haines brought proceedings to a close.

FT: IMPS 0 MACCLESFIELD 0

LINCOLN CITY
1 Rob BURCH
25 Cian HUGHTON
6 Danny HONE
15 David STEPHENS
38 Joe ANDERSON
11 Scott KERR
23 Clark KELTIE
39 Matthew SAUNDERS
16 Steven LENNON
14 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
18 Davide SOMMA

subs
8 Richard BUTCHER (for KELTIE h/t)
35 Brian GILMOUR (for JOHN-LEWIS 67)
19 Shane CLARKE
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

BOOKING: KELTIE (38)

SENDING OFF: SOMMA (66)

MACCLESFIELD TOWN
13 Jose VEIGA
2 Izak REID
3 Carl TREMARCO
4 Sean HESSEY
5 Nat BROWN
7 Lee BELL
15 Paul BOLLAND
9 Emile SINCLAIR
14 John ROONEY
17 Colin DANIEL
24 Vinny MUKENDI

subs
28 Craig LINDFIELD (for MUKENDI 82)
25 Michael THOMAS (for BELL 90)
11 Ben WRIGHT
12 Kyle WILSON
18 Kristian DENNIS
19 Matthew LOWE
1 Jon BRAIN

BOOKINGS: ROONEY (52), TREMARCO (53), HESSEY (89)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Andy Haines
ASSISTANTS: Philip Bramley & Mike George
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Ryan Newman

ATTENDANCE: 3,291 (192 visiting supporters)