City slipped to their second home defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon with Shrewsbury Town netting a goal in each half to secure a 2-0 success.

Having started brightly, the Imps found themselves a goal down in the 28th minute when Jake Robinson netted from close range after Kelvin Langmead played a ball across the box after City failed to deal with a free-kick and Paul Simpson's men made sure of the points from the penalty spot in the 76th minute.

Leading scorer Dave Hibbert was the man who sent Rob Burch the wrong way from 12 yards with the penalty being awarded for hand ball against Moses Swaibu, who saw his appeals waved away by referee Peter Quinn.

The best of City's chances came in between Town's goals with skipper Scott Kerr having an effort blocked before he played a low ball into the area which flew under Chris Fagan's feet from a couple of yards out.

New loan signing Sergio Torres replaced Jamie Clarke in the City starting line-up for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against Shrewsbury Town at Sincil Bank Stadium.

Torres, who linked up with the Imps on Thursday from Peterborough United, started the game on the left hand side with Lenny John-Lewis beginning on the right. Stefan Oakes, a former team mate of Torres at Wycombe Wanderers, made a welcome return to the bench following his recent absence due to injury.

It was a pleasant September afternoon as the teams were led out of the tunnel by referee Peter Quinn and with the teams swapping ends, the Imps began the game attacking the Stacey West Stand from the opening whistle.

City were quickly out of the traps, with Rene Howe winning a corner in the opening 30 seconds but Aaron Brown's deep delivery was cleared from the onrushing Janos Kovacs before Howe's follow-up effort was headed away by Dean Holden.

At the other end the in-form Dave Hibbert and the lively Jake Robinson both tested Rob Burch long-range efforts as Town went in search of an early opener having weathered the early Imps' storm.

A rasping drive from Jake Simpson in the 13th minute forced Burch to tip the ball behind for the visitors' first corner of the game but back there to clear his lines was Richard Butcher who rose well to meet Kevin McIntyre's low ball in from the quadrant.

A second Town corner came along a couple of minutes later as Paul Simpson's men enjoyed their best spell of the match but City again cleared their lines before attacking themselves and winning a two flag-kicks themselves. From the second, Lenell John-Lewis showed good strength to get past his man but could only blazed over the bar from 12 yards out.

Midway through the opening period City's Peterborough duo of Torres and Howe linked up well before the latter curled a fine effort goalwards and it took an equally impressive save from Steve Phillips to deny the big striker; the former Bristol City 'keeper flinging himself well to his right before tipping the ball past the post.

A Brown free-kick then caused problems for the Town defence with Jake Robinson firing a clearance inches past his own upright but the visiting winger came even closer at the other end in the 28th minute. The goal came after the Imps failed to deal with a free-kick and when the ball found Kelvin Langmead at the far post, he squared for Robinson to prod home past Burch.

City looked for a quick response with Howe firing a couple of feet wide after referee Quinn played a good advantage after Joss Labadie went in late on Scott Kerr. The Town midfielder picked up a caution before the resultant goal-kick was taken.

In the 42nd minute Imps' defender Moses Swaibu joined the Town man in the book after going through Robinson from behind and three minutes later the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of two minutes were to be added. The only incident during added time came towards its close with Kovacs heading a Shrewsbury corner clear.

HT: IMPS 0 SHREWSBURY 1

Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second half with First Team Coach Simon Clark no doubt looking for a quick comeback from his side early on after the restart.

But it was the visitors who were the first to press in the second period as they forced a corner five minutes in and as City responded, a late challenge on Torres by Kevin McIntyre earned the Shrewsbury man a yellow card. Brown drilled the resultant free-kick a foot wide of the target.

There was some drama shortly before the hour mark when Scott Kerr put in a meaty challenge on Jake Simpson. Although the City skipper appeared to win the ball, his feet were high and with Simpson making the most of things by rolling around in alleged agony, players from both sides squared up to each other. Rookie referee Mr Quinn calmed things down though and with Simpson back on his feet, Kerr picked up a yellow card.

Jamie Clarke replaced debutant Torres before play restarted; the switch seeing John-Lewis move across to the left with Clarke slotting into his customary role on the right.

The substitute was quickly in the action, beating Shane Cansdell-Sherriff before chipping goalwards and after the visiting defence failed to clear their lines Kerr had an effort blocked before another Clarke centre just evaded John-Lewis at the far post.

In the 65th minute Kris Bright replaced Jake Robinson for the visitors but City continued on the attack and when more good work from Clarke saw him set up Kerr his ball into the box went between Chris Fagan's legs as the Irishman prepared to get in a shot.

At the other end City had Rob Burch to thank as he sprinted off his line to deny Bright a run on goal whilst a good saving challenge from Moses Swaibu saw him get a challenge in on McIntyre and needed treatment from Michael Wait before he hobbled to the touchline.

A second Shrewsbury change came in the 73rd minute with Lewis Neal coming on for Jake Simpson whilst a second City switch a minute later saw Richard Butcher make way for Stefan Oakes in the middle of the park.

With Swaibu back on the pitch, a hopeful ball into the City box was headed on by Hibbert and duly hit Swaibu as he went to control it. The Imps' number five was adament that the ball had hit him on the chest but referee Quinn deemed that it was ball on arm and awarded the Shrews a penalty. Once Mr Quinn had waved away all the appeals, Hibbert sent Burch the wrong way from the spot to double his side's advantage.

A third and final City substitution saw Andy Hutchinson replace Chris Fagan as the game approached its final 10 minutes and shortly afterwards a third and final Town change saw Hibbert make way for Nathan Elder.

Shrewsbury made it five corners apiece five minutes from time with McIntyre taking as long as possible before swinging in the set-piece whilst at the other end Phillips easily held a low Howe effort.

Cian Hughton then fizzed a low drive inches wide as City and shortly after the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of four minutes were to be added, Town substitute Bright slid an effort wide after getting the wrong side of the sponsors' man of the match Janos Kovacs.

Burch then blocked two Neal efforts as the Shrews pushed for a third but the earlier double proved to be enough to secure the points for the men from Shropshire.

FT: IMPS 0 SHREWSBURY 2

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Rob BURCH
25 Cian HUGHTON
4 Janos KOVACS
5 Moses SWAIBU
3 Aaron BROWN
8 Richard BUTCHER
11 Scott KERR
14 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
21 Sergio TORRES
10 Chris FAGAN
18 Rene HOWE

subs
15 Jamie CLARKE (for TORRES 59)
7 Stefan OAKES (for BUTCHER 74)
26 Andy HUTCHINSON (for FAGAN 80)
6 Danny HONE
17 Sam CLUCAS
19 Shane CLARKE
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

BOOKINGS: SWAIBU (42), KERR (59)

SHREWSBURY TOWN
29 Steve PHILLIPS
2 Dean HOLDEN
5 Graham COUGHLAN
24 Shane CANSDELL-SHERRIFF
15 Paul MURRAY
21 Jake SIMPSON
25 Joss LABADIE
28 Kevin McINTYRE
8 Kelvin LANGMEAD
9 Dave HIBBERT
11 Jake ROBINSON

subs
14 Kris BRIGHT (for ROBINSON 65)
23 Lewis NEAL (for SIMPSON 73)
12 Nathan ELDER (for HIBBERT 82)
18 Steve LESLIE
19 Harry HOOMAN
20 Andre GRAY
22 Andreas ARESTIDOU

GOALS: ROBINSON (28), HIBBERT (76 pen)

BOOKINGS: LABADIE (31), McINTYRE (56)

REFEREE: Peter Quinn
ASSISTANTS: Matthew Dicicco & Alan Parker
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Michael Naylor

ATTENDANCE: 3,234 (284 visiting supporters)