The Imps' reserves, with seven trialists in the starting line-up, concluded their 2010/11 totesport.com League programme with a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe United at Sincil Bank Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
On a bright sunny afternoon, the Imps were the first to press with some good build-up play involving skipper Patrick Kanyuka - starting up front - and Scott Spencer - beginning on the right - ended up with he overlapping Durrell Berry fizzing in a centre which just evaded everyone in a packed area.
In the sixth minute Serge Makofo had a low effort saved at the second attempt by Sam Slocombe before the trialist striker had appeals for a penalty waved away after he went to ground in the area and he forced the game's first corner.
A knock to United striker Aron Wint brought about a lengthy break in play in the 12th minute and when play restarted, former Hartlepool United youngster Daniel Johnson fired a left-footed effort a foot over the bar from 25 yards.
Scunthorpe stopper Slocombe was then in the wars after he went for a loose ball with Makofo before a low cross from Berry saw Kanyuka test Slocombe with a diving header. Makofo then jinked his way past a number of defenders only to see his final effort crash against a United man and clear to safety.
At the other end Jordan Thewlis dragged a low shot well wide from the visitors' first real attack of note whilst City's response saw teenage centre-back Elliot Green come within inches of connecting with an inswinging Spencer corner.
A relatively quiet spell ensued as the first half approached its close; two long-range efforts which both flew over from Patrick McLaughlin being the only chances of note.
Both sides made changes at the break with Ben Hutchinson and Karl Cunningham replacing Scott Spencer and Daniel Leadbitter for the Imps whilst Scott Matthews came on for Aron Wint for United. With Cunningham slotting into midfield, Josh O'Keefe dropped back to centre-half.
Hutchinson was quickly in the action, whipping in a great centre from the right which just evaded Johnson at he back post, but it was fellow substitute Cunningham who drew the Imps level when the teenager latched on to a ball 25 yards out before drilling a fine effort past Slocombe and into the bottom right corner of the net.
On the hour mark Johnson came close to doubling the lead following good work by Mokofo but Slocombe was well positioned to block his rasping first-time effort from just inside the box and shortly afterwards, Green hooked a Hutchinson free-kick over.
Following another quiet period of play, O'Keefe was replaced by Jake Gibson in the 72nd minute and three minutes later a fine individual effort from Makofo as, after he outsprinted Rory Coleman he rounded the advancing Slocombe before slotting into the empty net.
Before play restarted, Kanyuka was withdrawn, meaning that the Imps, having made their three permitted substitutions, played the last quarter of an hour with just 10 men.
Thewlis tested Douglas Lindberg, who was having a relatively quiet afternoon between the City sticks, with a curling effort in the 80th minute from a rare Scunthorpe attack whilst at the other end Cunningham drilled over following more good work from the lively Makofo.
In the dying seconds of normal time a foul by Berry on Thewlis gave the Iron a chance to grab a consolation effort but Lindberg was alert to Marcus Williams' effort and claimed the ball easily under his bar.
City res: Douglas Lindberg, Durrell Berry, Ellis Deeney, Patrick McLaughlin, Daniel Leadbitter (Karl Cunningham h/t), Elliot Green, Josh O'Keefe (Jake Gibson 72), Daniel Johnson, Serge Makofo, Patrick Kanyuka, Scott Spencer (Ben Hutchinson h/t).
Subs not used: Paul Musselwhite, James Wilson.
Goals: Cunningham (53), Makofo (75)
Scunthorpe res: Sam Slocombe, Andy Williamson, Marcus Williams, Rory Coleman, Lee Brown, Johnathan Birbeck, Nathan Taylor, James Booker, Aron Wint (Scott Matthews h/t), Jordan Thewlis, James Baxendale
Subs not used: Peter Crook, Ashley Jackson, Matthew Fells, Joshua Greenhoff
Referee: Stephen Ross
