Match report...
With Nat Brown absent through illness, Hamza Bencherif slotted in at centre-back and Jon Nolan returned in midfield for this Vanarama Conference game against Southport at Sincil Bank Stadium. Jordan Burrow was also back for the suspended Delano Sam-Yorke up front.
Southport kicked off attacking the Stacey West Stand but it was the Imps who were the first to press with Burrow setting up Ben Tomlinson who forced David Raya Martin into a low save and when the ball ran free Nolan's follow-up effort crashed against the post.
Charlee Adams then tested Raya Martin from range and some neat build-up play ended with Marcus Marshall having a cross cleared as an enterprising start from the Imps continued.
Southport withstood some more pressure before winning a corner from their first attack but when City dealt with the danger, a swift counter-attack saw Alan Power head down a Jake Caprice cross before Burrow was denied a sight of goal by ex-Imp Luke Foster.
A second Southport corner shortly afterwards saw Joe Connor volley goalwards but Paul Farman pulled off a fantastic one-handed save to tip the ball over his bar.
After a quiet spell, a late 19th minute challenge by Richard Brodie on Adams saw the Southport man pick up a deserved yellow card. Three minutes later Brodie played in John Marsden but an excellent interception from Caprice saw him clear.
There was almost a carbon-copy of Tom Miller's goal against Dartford after Tomlinson won a corner on the left in the 25th minute but referee David Rock spotted a push by the City defender after Power had played the flag-kick short to Newton who curled in another great centre.
Shortly befort the half-hour mark Burrow nodded down a Newton free-kick but Marshall's control let him down and Raya Martin was able to gather. Two City corners quickly followed as the Imps went in search of the opener.
As the half wore on Burrow had a diving header from a Power cross held by Raya Martin before a Newton cross flew just in front of the striker six yards from goal.
Brodie then limped away from a Tomlinson challenge before directing some verbals towards Fourth Official Sean Feerick. Referee Rock spoke to skipper Luke George and when play resumed, Brodie forced Farman to tip over a snap-shot from the edge of the box.
The half ended after one additional minute of play.
HT: IMPS 0 SOUTHPORT 0
With neither side making any changes during the break it was as you were as the Imps restarted proceedings.
Within 30 seconds of the restart Nolan tested Raya Martin with a low effort from the edge of the box whilst four minutes in good work from Caprice saw him win a corner which was deflected through to the Southport keeper.
The first substitution of the game came from Southport with Amadou Bakayoko replacing John Marsden in attack in the 56th minute whilst a couple of minutes later a Newton cross was spilled by Raya Martin who eventually claimed the ball under his bar at the second attempt.
City kept pressing with Nolan winning a 62nd minute corner and when Newton curled in a terrific delivery from the quadrant, the ball was met by TOM MILLER who powered in a header which flew into the back of the net for his second successive goal.
The Imps came close to adding a second eight minutes later with a Newton cross being prodded wide by Burrow at full stretch whilst at the other end a Southport corner was headed clear by Adams at the near post.
Brodie's appeals for a penalty after going down under a Farman challenge fell on deaf ears, much to his annoyance, before teenager Alex Simmons replaced Marshall for the Imps in the 78th minute.
City dealt with a Southport corner five minutes later before Tomlinson advanced and won a corner for the Imps. Scott Kay was then booked for a foul on Adams as the game entered its final five minutes.
Just before a minimum of four added minutes was indicated, a corner to Southport was dealt with by Nolan. Foster then headed a Fitzpatrick free-kick over the bar as the nerves started to jangle.
A block by Foster on Tomlinson gave the Imps the chance to eat up some valuable seconds with referee Rock eventually bringing things to a close after almost five additional minutes.
FT: IMPS 1 SOUTHPORT 0
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
17 Jake CAPRICE
2 Tom MILLER
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
3 Sean NEWTON
20 Charlee ADAMS
14 Jon NOLAN
8 Alan POWER
22 Marcus MARSHALL
11 Ben TOMLINSON
9 Jordan BURROW
subs
7 Sahr KABBA
19 Alex SIMMONS (for MARSHALL 78)
24 Thierry AUDEL
25 Tyrell WAITE
26 Nick TOWNSEND
GOAL: MILLER (62)
SOUTHPORT
19 David RAYA MARTIN
3 David FITZPATRICK
4 Scott KAY
5 Dominic COLLINS
6 Luke FOSTER
7 Micah EVANS
8 Luke GEORGE
10 Richard BRODIE
15 Joe CONNOR
16 Paul RUTHERFORD
18 John MARSDEN
subs
2 Matty CHALLONER
12 Jonny LYNCH
14 Charlie JOYCE
21 Amadou BAKAYOKO (for MARSDEN 56)
26 Liam ROBERTS
BOOKINGS: BRODIE (19), KAY (86), FOSTER (90+4)
REFEREE: David Rock
ASSISTANTS: James Turner & Dean Bradshaw
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Sean Feerick
ATTENDANCE: 2,034 (54 visiting supporters)
