An evenly-matched pre-season friendly between the Imps and Norwich City at Sincil Bank Stadium on Wednesday finished goalless, although the game was not dull by any means.

Albert Jarrett tested Norwich 'keeper Jed Steer on a number of occasions early on whilst midfielder Josh O'Keefe came closest when his low effort was smothered by Steer as it trickled agonisingly towards the goal line.

With Jarrett and Mustapha Carayol lively throughout, City were always threatening on the break whilst at the other end Joe Anyon was relatively untroubled, with perhaps his best save coming in the closing stages to keep out Andrew Crofts.

Arguably the main plus to come from the game, however, was that Adam Watts got his first full 90 minutes under his belt since breaking his leg in February. He also came close late on when he headed a Jarrett corner into the side netting.

Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Manager Chris Sutton opted for a change in formation for the visit of Championship new boys Norwich City to Sincil Bank for the second and final home friendly of the season.

The switcharound from the starting line-up that began the Celtic XI match at the weekend saw Clark Keltie and Gavin McCallum drop to the bench with skipper Scott Kerr and Paul Green returning in midfield and right-back respectively. Green's inclusion saw Cian Hughton start in a holding midfield role with ex-Norwich man Drewe Broughton the lone man up front.

City kicked off in bright sunshine, although a heavy mid-afternoon shower made for a greasy playing surface, and it was a pretty cagey opening to proceedings with the majority of the play in the middle third.

The first real attack of note came in the fifth minute when Matthew Gill got the better of Green before seeing his low cross hit Adam Watts for the first corner of the match. Anthony McNamee swung in the ball from the quadrant and it was met by an unmarked Owain Tudor Jones but Joe Anyon claimed his header.

City's response saw Broughton have a shot on the turn easily claimed by Jed Steer whilst an inswinging centre from Albery Jarrett was inches away from the head of the flying Josh O'Keefe.

Broughton then controlled a long Anyon clearance to set up Mustapha Carayol who tested Steer with a rasping drive from the edge of the box. An advancing Hughton then looped in a cross from the right which was well claimed by Steer under pressure from Broughton.

City remained on the offensive with Broughton firing wide in the 13th minute following good work by John O'Keefe and two minutes later some quick feet from Jarrett saw him win a corner on the left. The flag-kick was cleared back to taker Jarrett with his follow-up centre ending with Jens Berthel Askou blocking a low O'Keefe drive.

At the other end, as the game entered its second quarter, good pace from McNamee saw him win what turned out to be an unproductive Canaries corner and as City duly counter-attacked Carayol fed Jarrett but the latter could only fire straight at Steer after cutting in from the right.

A quiet spell ensued with neither goalkeeper threatened; a wide curling shot from McNamee after Moses Swaibu did well to intercept a cross being the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.

City responded to this slight scare by piecing together a great move and after Jarrett found Carayol he selfishly squared for the advancing O'Keefe but his first time effort was blocked by Steer who then dived on the loose ball as it trickled towards the goal line.

A crunching challenge on Kerr by George Francomb earned the Norwich midfielder a 40th minute ticking off from referee Jock Waugh and this proved to be the last incident of a goalless opening half.

HT: IMPS 0 NORWICH 0

A change at the break for the Imps saw Lincoln-born Jamie Clapham replace Paul Green at right-back for his first appearance at Sincil Bank in a City shirt and before he had chance to touch the ball, Anyon was forced to block a low Oli Johnson effort

Hesitation by O'Keefe saw Clapham rescue his colleague as the Canaries pressed again and the next time City gained possession a superb cross-field pass from Jarett released Carayol who duly cut inside but saw his curling effort fly the wrong side of the upright.

Norwich made a double change on the hour mark with Russell Martin and Chris Martin replacing Elliott Ward and Simeon Jackson and Carayol immediately gave the former substitute a roasting but his ball into the area failed to find a red and white shirted player.

The aforementioned City duo combined again midway through the second period but a heavy touch from Carayol allowed the visiting defence to clear their lines. Clark Keltie then replaced Scott Kerr and Gavin McCallum came on for Drewe Broughton.

Changes continued with Norwich's Andrew Surman and Andrew Crofts coming on for Matthew Gill and Stephen Hughes before Wes Hoolahan and David Fox replaced Oli Johnson and Anthony McNamee. All these stoppages unexpectedly brought about a quiet period with the new personnel taking their time to settle into proceedings.

In the 76th minute it was Andy Hutchinson's turn to enter the fray with the highly impressive Mustapha Carayol making way for the teenager on the left flank. Hutchinson was quickly in the action, running at right-back Russell Martin, before an overlapping Joe Anderson forced City's second corner of the evening but Watts was unable to connect with Jarrett's looping .

With nine minutes remaining Adam Drury replaced George Francomb for the visitors' seventh change but a relatively uneventful second half continued as the closing stages fast approached.

Things eventually sprang to life in the 88th minute when Hutchinson put the home defence under pressure, forcing a hurried back pass from Surman which led to a corner. Jarrett took the flag-kick deep for Watts to meet but the big centre-back - set for his first full match since February - headed into the side netting.

In the first of two added minutes Surman curled wide from range and in the closing stages Anyon produced a fine save to palm away a Crofts effort for the last chance of the evening.

FT: IMPS 0 NORWICH 0

LINCOLN CITY
1 Joe ANYON
2 Paul GREEN
4 Adam WATTS
5 Moses SWAIBU
3 Joe ANDERSON
25 Cian HUGHTON
11 Scott KERR
14 Josh O'KEEFE
7 Mustapha CARAYOL
17 Albert JARRETT
10 Drewe BROUGHTON
 
subs 
19 Jamie CLAPHAM (for GREEN h/t)
8 Clark KELTIE (for KERR 68)
9 Gavin McCALLUM (for BROUGHTON 68)
22 Andy HUTCHINSON (for CARAYOL 76)
16 Shane CLARKE
18 Delroy FACEY
20 Paul MUSSELWHITE

NORWICH CITY
13 Jed STEER
6 Jens BERTHEL ASKOU
17 Owain TUDOR JONES
22 Elliott WARD
18 George FRANCOMB
4 Matthew GILL
8 Stephen HUGHES
20 Josh DAWKIN
12 Anthony McNAMEE
9 Oli JOHNSON
10 Simeon JACKSON
 
subs
2 Russell MARTIN (for WARD 60)
16 Chris MARTIN (for JACKSON 60)
11 Andrew SURMAN (for GILL 71)
7 Andrew CROFTS (for HUGHES 71)
14 Wes HOOLAHAN (for JOHNSON 75)
15 David FOX (for McNAMEE 75)
3 Adam DRURY (for FRANCOMB 81)
1 John RUDDY
5 Michael NELSON

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: Jock Waugh
ASSISTANTS: Stephen Ross & Wayne Porter
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Martin Chester

ATTENDANCE: 1,727 (469 visiting supporters)