Substitute Josh Sweetnam hit the winner on 77 minutes after a Hartlepool penalty had cancelled out Nathan Adams' 24th minute opener. The victory avenged Lincoln's extra-time FA Youth Cup exit to the same opponents in November.

Dan Mooney reports:

From kick-off, the young Imps took the game to their North-Eastern opponents. Skilful debutant Archie Masson, plucked from the U16s, tormented Hartlepool from his right-wing berth throughout the first half.

The game was three minutes old when Masson scampered down the flank and found Nathan Adams, who fired over. Then on 10 minutes, Adams surged down the other wing, slaloming round challenges before seeing his dangerous cross cleared behind.

Hartlepool served notice of their intentions on 12 minutes, when an alert Kern Miller fended off the striker, following a clever reverse pass from midfield. From the corner Lincoln goalie Nicholas seemed to be impeded, but his goal remained intact.

After 20 minutes Kieran Heap headed away a deep cross while under heavy pressure. But on 24 minutes Lincoln took the lead from a familiar source. Andy Hutchinson played in his strike-partner Adams who raced into the box and unleashed a low, near-post finish which was too hot for the keeper to handle.

With Josh Barker and Frazer Cobb winning the midfield battle, Cobb's slide-rule pass set Hutchinson away on the half hour mark, but the pacey front-man was tripped and Adams curled the free kick over.

Lincoln centre-back Miller appeared the calmest man at the ground when he diverted a Hartlepool shot just past his own upright on 35 minutes. Hutchison fired wide after Masson knocked down Heap's cross on 40 minutes, as the game moved from end to end.

In the last action of the half, Hartlepool striker Johnson fluffed his lines from six yards and a grateful Nicholas gathered the ball.

Three minutes into the second-half James Wilson, who had been combining well down the left with Danny Coupland, curled in a free kick from the left touchline which went all the way through before being tipped over.

On 56 minutes rock-solid defender Greg Enstone joined the attack but was unable to keep his header on target. With an hour on the clock Hartlepool had a shot deflected just wide, then from the corner Kerry Nicholas acrobatically turned a bulleted header over the crossbar.

Pools were not to be denied, though, winning a penalty kick after 63 minutes when Johnson folded under the attentions of Frazer Cobb. Nicholas had no chance as the kick was smashed to his left.

Stung into action, the young Imps almost restored their lead immediately. Andy Hutchinson's quick feet could not get him a clear sight of goal and the ball span back to Wilson, whose shot was deflected well wide.

Masson retrieved the situation and rode a challenge before picking out Cobb, who lashed over.

On 73 minutes Coupland galloped down the left and played a one-two with Hutchinson before the ball was bundled behind.

By this time Josh Sweetnam had replaced the tiring Masson, and with the match seemingly heading for a draw, the young substitute slammed Lincoln back into the lead. The danger seemed minimal with the ball on the right, but Sweetnam finished emphatically from an acute angle.

Hartlepool pressed and Kieran Heap cleared off the line in the closing stages, but the young Imps held on for the three points.

Youth coach Grant Brown praised his players' commitment to playing the right way.

"Overall it was a good performance and I was pleased with the result," said Brown.

"Hartlepool have some good players and they've always caused us problems in the past. They beat us in the Youth Cup earlier on in the season.

"I seem to say it every week, but we've had difficult pitches to play on. They're either bogs or bone-hard and this one was bone-hard.

"That makes it tough to get the ball down and play. But at times we managed to play some good football."

Brown was philosophical about the second-half penalty awarded against Frazer Cobb, but pointed out Lincoln might have had at least one in return.

He said: "The lad's been clever and changed his direction, gone into Frazer and gone down. So it's good play by them really.

"If it was my player and it happened at the other end I'd be screaming for a penalty. So yes, it was the right decision.

"Having said that we could have had two penalties in one attack, straight from the kick-off. Andy Hutchinson flicked it back and it hit their lad's hand. Then Archie's gone past his player, there's been contact and he's stayed on his feet.

"If he goes down it's a definite penalty but, rightly or wrongly, the referee hasn't given it."

Following such an encouraging team display, Imps legend Brown was reluctant to single out anyone amongst his charges.

"It's difficult to pick individuals out today because I could go right through the whole side. The keeper's made a good save for us in the second half which kept us in it.

"I thought the young lads who came in did well. Frazer Cobb won a lot of second balls and made good decisions when he had possession. He passed it simply but with quality, so he's done very well today.

"It was Archie Masson's first game at U18 level today. He's got ability and it was pleasing to see him come in and play well.

"Kieran Heap at right-back too. He was up against a very lively winger but defended well in his one-on-ones.

"On the other side, Danny Coupland's normally a right-back but he came in at left-back today. He took up good positions and got forward, as he likes to do.

"Then there was the usual suspects: Kern Miller and Greg Enstone very solid at the back again."

Lincoln's U18s will now look to take their winning form into next Saturday's last game of the season at home to Bradford City.

"It's the last game of the season and we want to finish with a win," Brown added. "But more importantly I want to see a good performance. Win or lose, I want us to play well again.

"Bradford are a strong side and it's always a difficult one against them. I want us to try and get the ball down and pass. I'm confident that if we play like we can we'll win the game."

City U18s: Nicholas, Heap, Coupland, Cobb, Miller, Enstone, Masson (Sweetnam 77), Barker, Adams, Hutchinson (Cunningham 80), Wilson. Subs not used: Davies, Draper, Green.