Lincoln City Football Club

Bohan Dixon and Nick Wright both returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Luke Foster and Conner Robinson for this Skrill Premier game against Alfreton Town at Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium whilst Jake Sheridan was named amongst the substitutes as he returned after a three-match ban.

In a contrast to Saturday, the weather was dry as referee Simon Bennett led the two teams out on to what was a heavily sanded pitch which the groundstaff had worked hard on in order to get the playing surface in a playable condition.

City, with Todd Jordan slotting in at centre-back, were immediately on the attack when play got underway with Dixon finding Mitch Austin down the left who advanced forward before seeing his cross headed behind for a corner by Darran Kempson. Sean Newton's deep corner came to nothing though.

The Imps remained on the offensive with Austin seeing plenty of the ball in the early stages; another centre coming close to finding its intended target in the shape of Delano Sam-Yorke before the Australian winger fizzed in another ball which crashed against Kempson before flying past his 'keeper Jon Worsnop. A deserved eighth minute lead for the Imps.

Four minutes later Dixon was denied by a flying Worsnop after he headed a Tom Miller cross goalwards whilst at the other end Jordan was booked for kicking the ball away after Nat Brown upended Paul Clayton. The resultant free-kick was headed out for a corner by Brown; the flag-kick being dealt with successfully.

Another Town corner quickly followed as they went in search of a leveller but birthday boy Mo Fofana hooked this clear and out for a throw-in which ended up seeing Godfrey Poku slice a long range effort out for a throw on the opposite flank. 

Poku then got his radar right, forcing Farman into a smart save but it wasn't long before the Imps responded and when a long Miller throw was flicked on towards the back post there to slam into the roof of the net was Nick Wright to double the lead.

Austin chipped into the side netting following a sweeping City move forward as they went for the jugular again and from the next break forward Austin created more problems with his pace down the flank.

Alfreton went for the route one approach in the 28th minute when a long punt forward from Worsnop seeing both Jordan and Farman crowd out John Akinde before the striker could pull the trigger.

City's response saw Wright and Miller link up before the latter's cross found the former who was denied at the near post. Appeals for handball against a grounded defender were waved away by referee Bennett.

An Imps corner quickly followed and when Newton curled in a beauty, Wright was unable to direct his header goalwards with his effort bouncing down and over the bar.

Five minutes before the break Wright and Sam-Yorke were both denied by some last-ditch Alfreton defending following a sweeping City move down the right side. At the other end Jordan required treatment in his own box after taking a knock and left the field with a blood-stained bandage on his head.

A minimum of three added minutes was indicated as Fofana slotted in at centre-back in Jordan's absence and after these additional stages passed without incident, the Imps went in for a breather reflecting on a deserved two-goal lead.

HT: IMPS 2 ALFRETON 0

Both teams emerged unchanged with Jordan back out for the start of the second half with a numberless shirt and bandaged head.

The first effort after the restart came Alfreton's way with Clayton firing into the side netting following a ball into the City box before the striker forced a corner on his attacking right. This was played deep and there rising high was experienced centre-back Nick Fenton who plundered a header into the top corner to halve the arrears.

City's response saw Austin advance forward before winning a corner and when this was cleared the Aussie picked up a booking for holding back Poku.

Alfreton kept pressing again though, winning another corner on the hour mark but this was hammered clear by Newton. Another one quickly followed and when this was dealt with Chris Westwood picked up a caution for dragging Sam-Yorke to the floor. Farman also saw yellow before he took the free-kick.

In the 66th minute Dan Gray replaced Sean Newton, who appeared to be holding his calf, with Tom Miller moving across to left-back. Alfreton responded with Josh Law replacing Tom Shaw three minutes later.

A great saving challenge from Jordan denied Akinde a sight of goal as the game entered its final quarter hour before Jake Sheridan replaced Tom Miller in another change at left-back. Daniel Meadows came on for Bradley Wood for Town at the same time.

City stoutly defended an Alfreton corner after Akinde hit the deck somewhat theatrically and responded in style with Dixon holding play up before spotting the advancing Nolan. He did the rest by gaining space before drilling clinically past Worsnop with a low drive.

A trip on Poku by the back-tracking Wright gave the visitors the chance from a free-kick but Josh Law blasted straight at the City wall. Good play by Sam-Yorke at the other end saw him win a corner before Daniel Wishart came on for Dan Bradley for Town.

City continued to threaten after Nolan's goal extended the lead and it was Sam-Yorke who increased the scoring when a Gray throw-in was missed by Worsnop and there was the Cambridge loanee to head in his first goal in Imps' colours.

Danny Rowe replaced Mitch Austin before the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of five minutes were to be added on. This coming just as City broke forward with Dixon's final ball to Nolan being intercepted.

Alfreton's next attack saw Farman pull off a fine one handed save to deny Meadows and this proved to be the last incident of note with the 4-1 win being fully deserved against an Alfreton side who left the pitch still third in the table.

FT: IMPS 4 ALFRETON 1

7 Waide FAIRHURST

9 Danny ROWE (for AUSTIN 90)

12 Jake SHERIDAN (for MILLER 77)

15 Dan GRAY (for NEWTON 66)

31 David PREECE

GOALS: KEMPSON (8 og), WRIGHT (21), NOLAN (80), SAM-YORKE (87)

BOOKINGS: JORDAN (15), AUSTIN (58), FARMAN (64)

3 Connor FRANKLIN

7 Josh LAW (for SHAW 69)

12 Daniel MEADOWS (for WOOD 77)

13 Daniel WISHART (for BRADLEY 85)

20 Jay McFADZEAN

GOAL: FENTON (55)

BOOKING: WESTWOOD (64)