Two second half goals from Gary Martin and Luke Williams earned Middlesborough Reserves a two-nil victory at Sincil Bank this afternoon.
Match Report by Aron Hegarty
City made one enforced late change to their line-up. Rob Brewer started in place of Paul Green, who suffered a tight hamstring in the warm-up and was not risked.
Both sides began at a fast pace as they looked to boss the opening exchanges.
The first 10 minutes was end-to-end as each team tried to dominate the other in midfield, but without any clear-cut openings.
Boro gradually gained the upper hand. The first chance came after 15 minutes with Marvin Emnes firing a shot over the bar from just outside the area.
Luke Williams then struck his effort wide from distance in the 18th-minute.
Lincoln occasionally threatened on the counter, but Boro kept the chances ticking over. Joe Bennett was forced into shooting wide through the covering Imps defence on 23 minutes.
Esterhazy was then called into action in the 27th-minute, when he stood his ground to block Josh Walker after being played through on goal from the right.
Moses Swaibu made a vital clearance in the box in the 33rd minute as the ball was whipped from the left. Play was called back for offside, but Swaibu wasn't to know at the time.
From the ensuing Imps' attack, Nathan Adams was marginally ruled offside when played through one-on-one with Boro keeper Jason Steele on 34 minutes.
Andrew Taylor was the next Boro player to try his luck after 38 minutes from a quickly-taken free-kick, but his shot went to the left and wide.
The visitors could have gone in ahead after Kern Miller's mistake in defence allowed Emnes a run on goal a minute before the break, but his shot swerved away and out.
Half Time - Imps Res 0 Boro Res 0
Lincoln made one change at half-time with Danny Hone coming on for Swaibu.
Boro started the second-half where they left off in the first, on the offensive.
And they took the lead from Gary Martin after just two minutes, when the ball was squared to the striker in the area and he tucked his effort past Esterhazy.
Martin's goal prompted City into chasing the game and they gave Boro a few hairy moments.
The visitors were let off the hook in the 52nd-minute when Steele allowed a backpass to go across his goalmouth with Andy Hutchinson in hot pursuit
Adams should have equalised for the Imps a few minutes later. He broke free down the left and advanced in on goal, but he pulled his angled shot high and over from close range.
Bennett's low strike from outside the box was comfortably gathered by Esterhazy on the hour mark. City then brought on Josh Barker for Clark Keltie on 64 minutes to freshen up things.
Esterhazy made a smart save down low to his right to deny Williams, but Boro regrouped to score from the next attack. This time Esterhazy was left rooted by Luke Williams' strike into the net after 68 minutes.
Morgan Suric then made way for Sam Clucas after 75 minutes, during which time Lincoln were unfortunate not to test Steele from a scramble in the area.
Substitute Barker fired just over shortly after as the Imps looked to find a way back into the game.
Boro made a treble substitution on 80 minutes. First team squad members Emnes, Bennett and Taylor made way for James Gray, Matthew Dolan and Philip Shead respectively.
Shane Clarke's drive was parried by Steele moments later and the follow-up was blasted over as Lincoln pressed for a goal.
Despite their efforts, the Imps were enable to find that elusive goal. Esterhazy pulled off another fine save just before the end as Boro played out the remainder of the match.
Full-time: Imps Res 0 Boro Res 2
Lincoln Res: Esterhazy, Suric (Clucas 75), Franklin, Keltie (Barker 64), Miller, Swaibu (Hone h/t), Clarke, Brewer, Adams, Hutchinson, Gibson.
Subs not used: Musselwhite.
Middlesborough Res: Steele, Corker, Taylor (Shead 80), Edwards, Oliver, Weldon, Walker, Williams, Martin, Emnes (Gray 80), Bennett (Dolan 80).
Subs not used: Smith.
Booked: Corker 31.
