Sergio Torres capped an impressive performance against Aldershot Town at Sincil Bank on Saturday afternoon with his first goal in City colours getting Chris Sutton off to a winning start as Imps' manager.

The Argentinian slotted past the busy Aldershot 'keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz in the 83rd minute after he was set free down the middle by Richard Butcher and the goal was nothing more than City deserved.

Butcher, who was playing in an advanced midfield role, had earlier gone close on two occasions but Jaimez-Ruiz produced a couple of excellent saves whilst the Venezuelan stopper superbly tipped over a Stefan Oakes 40 yard blockbuster.

At the other end City's defence withstood all that Aldershot threw at them with new loan signing Adam Watts a rock alongside Janos Kovacs and when called into action Rob Burch blocked a Louie Soares effort before Watts headed off the line.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Chris Sutton ringed the changes for his first game as Imps' manager with the new City boss making four changes to the side that started the midweek game against Notts County.

Changes at the back saw Janos Kovacs return to the starting line-up alongside new loan signing Adam Watts in the middle whilst on the right Danny Hone slotted in at right-back with Cian Hughton pushing forward into an advanced role. Stefan Oakes started in midfield alongside Shane Clarke with Richard Butcher operating in a role just behind Rene Howe up front.

A strong, blustery wind greeted the two teams as they made their way out of the tunnel and after City kicked off attacking the GoCar Stand, an early free-kick given for a foul on Rene Howe, ended with visiting 'keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz claiming a low Shane Clarke centre.

City pressed again in the ninth minute with a sweeping move created by Sergio Torres ending with Howe having a shot deflected behind for the game's first corner. Unfortunately, Jaimez-Ruiz emerged with the ball when it was played in from thequadrant.

At the other end, and shortly after appeals for a City penalty against Ben Herd as Torres' flick seemed to hit the Town defender on the arm were waved away, Rob Burch did well to save a Marvin Morgan shot at his near post after the big striker got the better of Janos Kovacs.

The stong wind was certainly making things difficult for both sets of players as the opening quarter hour came and went and from Aldershot's next attack, Louie Soares made the most of a lucky bounce and after Burch saved his shot, the ball was nodded goalwards by Kirk Hudson, it was suberly cleared off the line by debutant Adam Watts before Morgan fired into the side netting.

The Shots then forced their second corner of the afternoon but Dean Parrett's delivery flew over everyone and out for a throw-in on the opposite side of the pitch whilst City's response saw them win their second corner when Cian Hughton saw his goalbound drive clip a man in blue before going behind. Kovacs was penalised for pushing, however, when the ball was played into the mix.

City were certainly looking to play the ball forward quickly down the flanks and from a Hughton cross shortly after the half-hour mark, the onrushing Butcher came close to meeting it with his head but the ball flew just over the City midfielder and Herd was able to ease the pressure for his side.

Torres, who was certainly impressing on the left, then twisted his way past a number of challenges before testing Jaimez-Ruiz with a low effort whilst Howe also warmed the Venezuelan's hands with a low shot after he was played in by Butcher.

Butcher won City's third corner of the half a minute from the break but Kovacs could only direct his looping header on to the roof of the net.

HT: IMPS 0 ALDERSHOT 0

Neither side made any changes during the break so it was as you were as the Shots got the game underway again.

City were the first to press with Hughton winning a free-kick 30 yards out. Stefan Oakes set his sights but after wrapping his trusty left foot around the ball saw his curler fly a foot over.

At the other end Burch held a deflected Morgan effort as the ball looped goalwards whilst City's response saw Hone find Butcher on the right and when he drilled in a low centre, Shane Clarke couldn't keep his effort down and saw his right-footed effort fly into the Stacey West Stand.

The busy Butcher was then released by Howe before bearing down on goal but Jaimez-Ruiz got his angles right and tipped the ball behind for a corner, which he subsequently claimed

A quick break from Hughton carved out the next half chance but his cross just evaded Butcher and as City kept up the pressure Oakes let fly from 40 yards only for Jaimez-Ruiz to tip the ball over.

Aldershot responded by winning a corner of their own but the Imps were quick to attack again with good link-up play between Hughton and Howe saw the latter win corner which was headed wide by Clarke.

In the 66th minute good play from Howe saw him release Hughton down the right and after he floated in a peach of a cross, Butcher saw his net-bound header somehow kept out by Jaimez-Ruiz, who flung himself full length to his right before brilliantly palming the ball away to safety.

Aldershot's Parrett saw yellow in the 70th minute for a blatant trip on Torres whilst a free-kick to the visitors saw Burch keep out a Scott Donnelly drive before Morgan skied his follow-up effort straight into the City goalkeeper's gloves.

This brought about a spell of Aldershot pressure but the City defence held firm and from their next foray forward 10 minutes from time Howe fizzed a shot a foot wide of Jaimez-Ruiz's left hand upright.

A change for City two minutes later saw Scott Kerr replace Stefan Oakes in the middle of the park and within the space of 60 seconds the stadium erupted as a clever reverse ball from Butcher set Torres free down the middle and the Argentinian did the rest by taking the ball forward and neatly slotting past Jaimez-Ruiz before wheeling away in celebration in front of the Stacey West Stand.

It was just reward for City's efforts during the course of the afternoon but City had to be on their guard shortly after the restart when Morgan sliced over from close range whilst a change for Aldershot saw John Grant replace Kirk Hudson and he was quickly in the action, winning a free-kick from Hone. Donnelly fortunately curled the set-piece over.

Shortly before the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of four minutes were to be added on Kovacs picked up a caution, his fifth of the season, whilst in the closing stages of added time a Shots corner saw goalkeeper Jaimez-Ruiz come forward but Howe got above everyone in the packed area and when the ball flew towards the touchline referee David Foster blew for time.

FT: IMPS 1 ALDERSHOT 0

MATCH FACTS

LINCOLN CITY
1 Rob BURCH
25 Cian HUGHTON
4 Janos KOVACS
22 Adam WATTS
6 Danny HONE
3 Aaron BROWN
7 Stefan OAKES
8 Richard BUTCHER
19 Shane CLARKE
21 Sergio TORRES
18 Rene HOWE

subs
11 Scott KERR (for OAKES 82)
5 Moses SWAIBU
10 Chris FAGAN
14 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
15 Jamie CLARKE
17 Sam CLUCAS
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

GOAL: TORRES (83)

BOOKING: KOVACS (90)

ALDERSHOT TOWN
33 Mikhael JAIMEZ-RUIZ
2 Ben HERD
3 Anthony STRAKER
5 Adam HINSHELWOOD
18 Dave WINFIELD
16 Dean PARRETT
7 Louie SOARES
8 Lewis CHALMERS
10 Marvin MORGAN
15 Scott DONNELLY
17 Kirk HUDSON

subs
9 John GRANT (for HUDSON 87)
4 Chris BLACKBURN
6 Anthony CHARLES
14 Danny HYLTON
20 Bobby HOPKINSON
1 Clark MASTERS

BOOKINGS: PARRETT (70), MORGAN(90+2)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: David Foster
ASSISTANTS: Nigel Murphy & David Storrie
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Andy Madley

ATTENDANCE: 4,131 (250 visiting supporters)