A second half goal from Steve Guinan was enough to condemn the Imps to defeat at Northampton Town on Saturday afternoon.

In a game of few clear-cut chances, it was experienced campaigner Guinan who prodded home from close-range in the 72nd minute after a Town free-kick saw the ball bobble around the City box before landing at the striker's feet.

City's best chance of the game came shortly before the break but Sergio Torres was denied by home 'keeper Chris Dunn after he was picked out by Stefan Oakes whilst in the second period the introduction of assistant manager Ian Pearce up front gave the Imps a different sort of threat but that killer final ball just wouldn't run as the game went on.

Whilst neither 'keeper were really tested, referee Steve Cook was perhaps the busiest man on the pitch, handing out yellow cards to six City players at Sixfields.

Match report by John Vickers at Sixfields Stadium:

Janos Kovacs returned from suspension to replace the injured Moses Swaibu, who's facing around two to three weeks on the sidelines after picking up a thigh strain during training, for this Coca-Cola League 2 encounter against Northampton Town at Sixfields Stadium.

This was the only change to the side that started the 1-0 win at Macclesfield Town last weekend as Cian Hughton, back from Republic of Ireland U21 duty, had to settle for a place on the bench. Chris Fagan was the man who made way.

Conditions were overcast as referee Steve Cook led the two teams out of the tunnel and as City got things underway looking to make it three wins on the spin under the leadership of Chris Sutton.

The hosts were the first to press in the second minute when a cross from Luke Guttridge ended with Steve Guinan appearing to control the ball with his hand before laying back to Paul Rodgers who dragged a poor effort well wide of the target.

City replied with a Sergio Torres centre being cleared off Richard Butcher's feet by home skipper Craig Hinton but play was centered at the other end in the 12th minute when Adam Watts deflected a Guinan effort behind for the first corner of the game. Butcher was back and cleared his lines when the ball was pumped into the danger area from the quadrant.

The Imps' next attack ended with home 'keeper Chris Dunn claiming a Torres centre whilst a swift break in the 17th minute which saw City piece together a number of neat passes, came to and when a flick from Torres to the overlapping Brown, saw the City full-back crowded out by the home defence.

Midway through the half a couple of stoppages to allow treatment to firstly John Johnson for the home side and then Danny Hone for the Imps brought about a break in play and when play resumed a foul on Torres gave Stefan Oakes a chance from a set-piece in an attacking place but his effort from 30 yards flew a couple of feet over the bar.

An evenly-matched opening half-hour continued, although both goalkeepers remained untroubled between their respective sticks but a 32nd minute challenge by Hone on Andy Holt forced Rob Burch and his colleagues to defend a corner but referee Cook spotted an infringement as the ball came in and play restarted with a free-kick to the Imps.

Loanee Anthony Pulis was cautioned for dissent after he was penalised for handball 10 minutes before the break whilst five minutes later a great throughball from Oakes found Torres but Dunn was quickly off his line and was able to smother the ball as the Argentinian got in the game's first shot on target.

The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of two minutes were to be added and 30 seconds into the addd stages, Torres was cautioned for 'simulation' as he went to ground as he advance forward. Having been fouled on numerous occasions earlier in the half the decision appeared to be harsh to say the least.

HT: NORTHAMPTON 0 IMPS 0

Neither side made any changes during the break so it was as you were as the hosts got the game underway again with the first incident of the second period being a foul on Torres by Gilligan.

Shortly afterwards Kovacs, at full stretch, headed an Oakes free-kick over the bar whilst at the other end Watts was forced to clear the ball out for a corner but the Fulham loanee rose well and cleared when the flag-kick was played in by Guttridge.

A swap for the Cobblers in the 55th minute saw Adebayo Akinfenwa replace Billy McKay up front and seconds after this switch Shane Clarke was cautioned for a mistimed challenge inside the centre-circle.

Pulis left the field a minute or so later and quickly headed towards the changing room area before returning to the fray whilst a neat one-two between Guttridge and Akinfenwa saw the former have a shot blocked well by Burch before Hone intercepted the loose ball as it was played back in.

An Oakes free-kick led to their first corner of the game in the 62nd minute but Oakes' delivery from the quadrant was poor and Guttridge headed clear at the near post. This was Oakes' last taste of the action as he was then replaced by Scott Kerr.

Referee Cook had words with Pulis again when Holt remained grounded after coming off second best in a challenge with the Southampton midfielder. Shortly afterwards Pulis was replaced by Jamie Clarke, who slotted into a forward role alongside Rene Howe.

The home side then enjoyed a brief spell of possession as the game entered its final quarter and they made it count in the 72nd minute as when a free-kick bounced around the City area, Steve Guinan was the one who found himself with the ball in his path and prodded past Burch from six yards.

Shortly after Danny Hone picked up a booking for a foul on Holt, assistant manager Ian Pearce came on for the former City trainee. Pearce went on up front in a bid to use his experience to get something from the game with Butcher dropping back to right back.

A City corner then ended with Kovacs being penalised for a push and duly picked up his sixth booking of the season and City's fifth of the game and when Torres went to ground in a challenge with two Town players, another decision by referee Cook went against City as the Imps' man was penalised for hand ball.

Cobbers' scorer Guinan was replaced by Ben Marshall with seven minutes on the clock whilst the frustrations in the City camp continued three minutes later when Howe was booked for a foul on Rodgers.

Men were pushed forward as the Fourth Official prepared to indicate that a minimum of five minutes were to be added but the ball just wouldn't run for a man in a platinum shirt; Pearce being denied a run on goal by some strong Hinton defending before the ball somehow stayed in play summed things up.

Understandably, Town were in no rush to take set-pieces and throw-ins when they came their way and when a Watts free-kick was flicked out for a goal-kick by Jamie Clarke, referee Cook gave a last blow on his whistle.

FT: NORTHAMPTON 1 IMPS 0

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

subs
11 Scott KERR (for OAKES 63)
15 Jamie CLARKE (for PULIS 66)
13 Ian PEARCE (for HONE 77)
14 Lenell JOHN-LEWIS
16 Joe HEATH
25 Cian HUGHTON
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

BOOKINGS: PULIS (35), TORRES (45+1), S CLARKE (55), HONE (76), KOVACS (78), HOWE (86)

NORTHAMPTON TOWN
1 Chris DUNN
2 Paul RODGERS
3 John JOHNSON
4 Luke GUTTRIDGE
5 Craig HINTON
6 Dean BECKWITH
9 Steve GUINAN
11 Andy HOLT
12 Ryan GILLIGAN
17 Billy McKAY
19 John CURTIS

subs
10 Adebayo AKINFENWA (for McKAY 55)
7 Ben MARSHALL (for GUINAN 83)
15 Alex DYER
16 Gary MULLIGAN
20 Chris McCREADY
24 Sebastian HARRIS
26 Simon BROWN

GOAL: GUINAN (72)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Steven Cook
ASSISTANTS: MJ Amphlett & Oleksandr Saliy
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Gavin Muge

ATTENDANCE: 4,341 (579 City supporters)