Ben Hutchinson's first goal for the Imps proved to be just a consolation effort as City slipped to a 2-1 defeat against high-flying Chesterfield at the b2net stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Spireites went into the break a goal to the good after Dwayne Mattis flicked home a 36th minute Dean Morgan cross following a quickly-taken Chesterfield corner. Shortly after the hour mark the hosts doubled their advantage when Jack Lester played in Craig Davies who drilled past Joe Anyon.

City rallied but in the end left it too late with Hutchinson's 88th minute strike, after a Joe Anderson cross had caused hesitation in the home defence, being too little too late.

Match report by John Vickers at the b2net stadium:

Manager Chris Sutton made one change to the team that started the home game against Crewe Alexandra for this npower League 2 game against Chesterfield at their new b2net stadium. The switch was an enforced one and replacing Albert Jarrett, away on international duty in Egypt with Sierra Leone, was fit-again Mustapha Carayol.

The Spireites kicked off and they were up against City side who started with Carayol slotting into the role vacated by Jarrett just behind Ben Hutchinson who was once again the lone striker.

City enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges with Delroy Facey winning the game's first corner in the fourth minute. Jamie Clapham picked out skipper Adam Watts with the flag-kick but he couldn't get any direction on his header and the home defence were able to clear their lines.

Facey then tried his luck from long range with his dipping effort flying just the wrong side of Tommy Lee's left-hand upright whilst in the eighth minute a deflected Hutchinson effort forced Lee to scamper back before tipping behind. Clapham's ball in this time was hacked away by Jack Lester.

The Imps kept up the tempo with Hutchinson winning another flag-kick and when Clapham swung in a better centre on this occasion, Facey sent in a downward header which unfortunately bounced a foot wide.

Chesterfield's first attack came in the 12th minute when Craig Davies latched on to a forward ball but his square pass to Lester had too much pace on it and the ball sailed straight out of play for a goal-kick.

This brought about a spell of Chesterfield pressure with Danny Whitaker fizzing a right-footed shot wide of the target before Lester headed a Scott Griffiths cross well over as the clock ticked towards its 22nd minute.

A quiet spell ensued with play concentrated mainly in the middle third and a further 10 minutes had elapsed before the next attempt at goal came along; this one seeing Carayol slice wide from 25 yards out.

In the 36th minute Chesterfield won their first corner and the quicky-taken routine saw the home side break the deadlock. The flag-kick was played short and back to Dean Morgan and there to flick home his inswinging delivery was Dwayne Mattis who neatly flicked a header into the bottom left corner of Joe Anyon's net from six yards out.

City responded by piecing together a good piece of build-up play which ended with Carayol playing in Hughton who saw his goalbound effort clip a defender's heels before going out for a corner which was duly headed over by Facey.

Towards the end of one added minute another Imps' corner saw Clapham pick out Ian Pearce but Mark Allott was well positioned to block the assistant manager's downward header.

HT: CHESTERFIELD 1 IMPS 0

No changes were made during the break so it was as you were as the Imps restarted proceedings attacking the end behind which sat their travelling supporters.

It was the home fans who were the first to their feet, however, as a ball over the top to Davies saw Pearce slide in and bring the striker to the deck, inches outside the area. Appeals that the challenge was inside the box were waved away by the officials and when the set-piece was taken, the City wall stood firm with the ball being deflected for a corner.

Lester then had an effort ruled out after Talbot had taken the ball out of play before squaring for the prolific front man before Andy Hutchinson replaced Delroy Facey for the Imps. The change saw Carayol move on to the left with the two Hutchinsons linking up together in the middle.

Chesterfield's next attack saw Whitaker head a Talbot centre well over the bar but their next foray forward, in the 62nd minute, saw them double their advantage.

Lester was the architect, although his initial control of the ball looked as though he had use his arm, and after he threaded a throughball to Davies he did the rest as, after took a couple of touches, advanced forward and drilled past Anyon

City's response was immediate with good play by Andy Hutchinson seeing him tee up Hughton who was denied by Ford and when Clapham swung in the resultant corner, Peace could only direct his header over.

As the game approached its final quarter, a change in formation for City saw Pearce go up front with Green moving inside along Watts and Hughton back to right-back allowing Andy Hutchinson to go wide right.

In the 71st minute a strong challenge on Allott by Keltie saw the home midfielder require treatment and as he returned to his feet, Jordan Bowery replaced Lester up front for the Spireites.

A powerful Bowery shot then saw Anyon tip the ball behind whilst, with 11 minutes remaining, Derek Niven came on for Craig Davies for the Spireites whilst Clark Keltie made way for Josh O'Keefe for the Imps. Three minutes later a late challenge on Hunt by Pearce earned the City number two the game's first caution

O'Keefe joined him for a mistimed 86th minute challenge on Allott whilst a minute later Pearce, holding his lower back, was replaced by Scott Kerr. Shortly afterwards, the Imps pulled a goal back to set up an enthralling finale.

Joe Anderson created the goal as, after he cleverly got control of the ball on the left, he swung a cross into the box, there was Ben Hutchinson to fire into the roof of the net after a strong turn saw the striker create space for himself.

When play restarted, City swarmed forward in numbers with Kerr having a volley deflect out for corner before Ben Hutchinson had a similar effort blocked by Hunt.

The Fourth Official indicating that a minimum of three minutes were to be added, Ian Breckin came on for Dean Morgan in a bid to calm things down from the hosts' perspective.

It seemed to do the trick as the earlier momentum gained by Hutchinson's strike faded away and the Spireites saw out the remainder of added time to secure the spoils.

FT: CHESTERFIELD 2 IMPS 1

LINCOLN CITY
1 Joe ANYON
2 Paul GREEN
4 Adam WATTS
13 Ian PEARCE
3 Joe ANDERSON
8 Clark KELTIE
19 Jamie CLAPHAM
25 Cian HUGHTON
18 Delroy FACEY
7 Mustapha CARAYOL
27 Ben HUTCHINSON

subs
5 Moses SWAIBU
11 Scott KERR
14 Josh O'KEEFE
22 Andy HUTCHINSON
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

CHESTERFIELD
1 Tommy LEE
23 Jack HUNT
6 Simon FORD
11 Dwayne MATTIS
12 Scott GRIFFITHS
25 Drew TALBOT
10 Danny WHITAKER
7 Mark ALLOTT
17 Dean MORGAN
9 Craig DAVIES
14 Jack LESTER

subs
21 Jordan BOWERY (for LESTER 72)
8 Derek NIVEN (for DAVIES 79)
16 Ian BRECKIN (for MORGAN 90+1)
19 Scott BODEN
20 Dan GRAY
24 Craig CLAY
13 Mark CROSSLEY

GOALS: MATTIS (36), DAVIES (62)

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Mick Russell
ASSISTANTS: David Storrie & Oliver Yates
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Lee Metcalfe

ATTENDANCE: 6,429 (688 City supporters)