City and Cheltenham were forced to settle for a point apiece on Saturday afternoon following an incident-packed Coca-Cola League 2 encounter at Sincil Bank Stadium.
After a relatively quiet first half, which saw Justin Richards give the visitors a 12th minute lead after the City defence failed to deal with a corner, the game certainly came to life after the break.
A neatly-worked Imps' corner saw Jamie Clarke drill home an equaliser three minutes into the second half but the main talking point came after Aaron Brown was dismissed in the 69th minute for what seemed to be a mistimed challenge on Theo Lewis.
Brown's challenge was deemed worthy of a straight red card by referee Graham Salisbury and whilst the City left-back was starting on his walk to the dressing rooms all eyes were on a skirmish that was going on in front of the dug outs.
Once things had calmed down Mr Salisbury consulted his colleagues and dished out red cards to City substitute and assistant manager Ian Pearce and then Town substitute and former City 'keeper Barry Richardson. The official's next action was to send Imps' boss Chris Sutton to the stands.
Things duly calmed down a bit and chances at either end were at a premium with the Imps' best chance seeing Chris Fagan force Town 'keeper Scott Brown to tip over his powerful right-footed drive.
Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:
With Cian Hughton away with the Republic of Ireland U21 squad and Rene Howe missing due to a hamstring strain, manager Chris Sutton was forced to make two changes to his starting line-up for this Coca-Cola League 2 game against Cheltenham Town at Sincil Bank Stadium.
Replacing Hughton was Nathan Baker who slotted in alongside Janos Kovacs in the centre of defence to allow Moses Swaibu to move across to right-back whilst Howe's absence saw new signing Michael Gordon come in for his debut on the right wing with Chris Fagan partnering Jamie Clarke up front.
The Robins kicked off and after both teams took their time to get used to the blustery conditions, a fine Shane Clarke through ball to Jamie Clarke forced the Town defence to clear their lines for the first corner in the fourth minute but this ended when the ball squirmed out for a goal-kick.
Shortly afterwards new signing Gordon got his first touch of the ball with the former Wimbledon winger firing an effort wide whilst at the other end a Cheltenham flag-kick was easily claimed by Rob Burch.
City's response saw them have what looked to be a great shout for a penalty when Shane Clarke went to ground as he took a touch before he was sent flying by his marker but as the ball bounced into the path of Jamie Clarke, referee Graham Salisbury opted to let play continue with the eventual effort at goal being blocked by Drissa Diallo.
In the 12th minute a second Cheltenham corner led to the softest of soft goals. The corner was chipped to the near post, Shane Clarke sliced his clearance into the path of Justin Richards who saw his half-hit downward effort bounce through a crowded six-yard box before nestling in the back of the net past an unsighted Burch.
A couple of offside decisions against the Imps robbed them of an early response but good pressure from Chris Fagan on ex-City man Lee Ridley led to a corner which was taken by Sergio Torres but defended well by the Town defence.
Torres was then forced to receive treatment in front of the home dug out and seemed to be in some discomfort as he was helped to his feet by physio Michael Wait. The Argentinian was duly replaced by Bermudan Khano Smith as the clock ticked into its 23rd minute.
Smith's first touch saw him drill a left-footed effort inches over the bar whislt a minute later Jamie Clarke curled an effort a foot past Scott Brown's right hand upright as City pushed for a leveller again.
A third City corner ended up with Town going on the counter-attack and when Ben Marshall was upended by Janos Kovacs it gave the Robins a chance from a set-piece 30 yards out. David Bird subsequently set his sights before curling a right-footed shot just wide of the target.
Ten minutes before the break and with heavy rain starting to come down a quick City attack ended with the overlapping Swaibu se his cross crash into Ridley with Anthony Pulis's corner somehow failing to connect with anyone as it fizzed across the area
City kept up the pressure with good work from Gordon seeing him win a fifth corner for the Imps but again the visiting defence stood firm and remained a goal to the good.
Shortly after the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added, another flag-kick came City's way but this one ended with Scott Brown easily claiming a low, deflected Jamie Clarke effort from a narrowing angle.
HT: IMPS 0 CHELTENHAM 1
City were out early ahead of the second half and they kicked off against a Town side who made a change with Andy Gallinagh replacing Michael Townsend in the centre of defence.
The Imps started brightly and when they won a corner three minutes into the second period, they got back on level terms as a training ground routine came up trumps. New boy Gordon took a low flag-kick, Fagan produced a clever dummy and there to drill the ball home was Jamie Clarke for his second goal in as many games.
Just before Burch held a low Theo Lewis header from a Town corner at the other end, Stefan Oakes replaced Shane Clarke in midfield for a second City substitution.
City continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges in the opening stages of the second half and a rasping drive from Fagan forced Brown to tip over as the ball seemed destined towards the top corner of the net.
A late challenge from Pulis on Lewis saw the midfielder pick up a 64th minute caution whilst Smith was harshly penalised for a tug on Low's shirt as he tried to get round the former Northampton man on the left.
Midway through the half what looked to be a mistimed challenge from Brown on Lewis saw referee Salisbury called into action again and when he brandished a 69th minute red card the fans in the Co-op Stand were quick to leap to their feet to air their frustrations at the man in the middle.
Whilst this was going on, tempers flared on the touchline on the opposite side of the field with a melee in between the dugouts seeing members of both benches square up to each other.
Once things calmed down, referee Salisbury dished out a second card, this time to City substitute and assistant manager Ian Pearce and then Town substitute and former City 'keeper Barry Richardson, who he had initially sent to the stands. The official's next action was to direct Imps' boss Chris Sutton towards a seat in the Echo Stand.
Six minutes later play restarted with Lewis leaving a foot in on Baker to earn himself a caution before Elvis Hammond replaced Julian Alsop, who seemed to be locked in conversation with referee Salisbury. Michael Pook then came on for Barry Hayles with eight minutes of normal time remaining as things calmed down a bit.
Oakes saw a long-range effort claimed by Brown before the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of seven minutes were to be added on and these, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, passed without further incident before play came to a close.
FT: IMPS 1 CHELTENHAM 1
MATCH FACTS
LINCOLN CITY
1 Rob BURCH
5 Moses SWAIBU
4 Janos KOVACS
33 Nathan BAKER
3 Aaron BROWN
19 Shane CLARKE
23 Anthony PULIS
21 Sergio TORRES
31 Michael GORDON
10 Chris FAGAN
15 Jamie CLARKE
subs
27 Khano SMITH (for TORRES 23)
7 Stefan OAKES (for S CLARKE 50)
6 Danny HONE
11 Scott KERR
13 Ian PEARCE
16 Joe HEATH
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE
GOAL: J CLARKE (48)
BOOKING: PULIS (64)
SENDINGS OFF: BROWN (69), PEARCE (73)
CHELTENHAM TOWN
1 Scott BROWN
17 Josh LOW
3 Lee RIDLEY
6 Drissa DIALLO
5 Michael TOWNSEND
29 Ben MARSHALL
22 Theo LEWIS
2 David BIRD
9 Justin RICHARDS
39 Julian ALSOP
38 Barry HAYLES
subs
8 Andy GALLINAGH (for TOWNSEND h/t)
11 Elvis HAMMOND (for ALSOP 80)
7 Michael POOK (for HAYLES 82)
10 David HUTTON
12 Kyle HAYNES
14 Marley WATKINS
40 Barry RICHARDSON
GOAL: RICHARDS (12)
BOOKING: LEWIS (80)
SENDING OFF: RICHARDSON (74)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Graham Salisbury
ASSISTANTS: Mike Blackledge & Geoff Law
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Ryan Newman
ATTENDANCE: 3,008 (112 visiting supporters)
