Match report...
Gary Simpson named an unchanged starting line-up for this Vanarama Conference fixture at Welling United, although Todd Jordan replaced Sahr Kabba on the bench.
City kicked off on a misty evening in south east London but it was the hosts who were the first to press with a second minute Harry Beautyman free-kick causing problems and when the bodies flew in Nat Brown was left grounded. He needed treatment to his shoulder before he was able to resume duties.
In the fifth minute Jake Caprice was forced to clear a Tobi Sho-Silva cross before the Welling striker fired wide from the edge of box. A home corner then failed to trouble Nick Townsend and his defence.
Shortly afterwards City's first attack ends ended up with Ben Tomlinson winning a corner and after Sean Newton's delivery just evaded Hamza Bencherif, Caprice's follow-up centre was cleared off Jordan Burrow's head by a home defender.
Welling's response saw them whip a cross in from the left after Caprice gave possession away cheaply whilst from their next foray forward Tyrone Marsh whipped in a cross which was well claimed by Townsend.
City had a let off in the 18th minute as, after the offside flag stayed down, Sho-Silva swung and missed with only Townsend to beat as the striker set his sights 12 yards from goal but after Newton pulled Marsh's shirt, earning himself a caution six minutes later, the home side took the lead.
Beautyman swung in a free-kick from the home right and after the ball was knocked down to the edge of the six-yard box, on hand to fire past Townsend was home skipper Jake Gallagher to give his side the lead.
On the half-hour mark Karl Ledsham replaced a struggling Brown, who had been holding his shoulder since his knock in the first few minutes. Arnaud Mendy dropped back alongside Tony Diagne in the centre of defence.
A minute or so later a long Tomlinson throw-in appeared to hit a home defender on the arm but referee Colin Lymer was unsighted and let play continue. The official did spot a crunching challenge on Bencherif by Zach Fagan though and out came a yellow card.
A rare City foray forward ended with Newton whipping in a cross which flew past everyone in the box whilst at the other end a Ledsham foul led to a Welling free-kick on the left but Newton was back to clear his lines.
As the half-time whistle approached, a great saving challenge from Mendy saw him deny Sho-Silva who found himself released by Beautyman. The resultant corner saw Townsend pull off a fine save before the City stopper palmed a follow-up cross away to safety.
HT: WELLING 1 IMPS 0
Delano Sam-Yorke replaced Jon Nolan prior to the start of the second half and City were the first to press following the restart but, after a quick break down the left, Newton sent his cross straight out for a goal-kick.
City started the second period brightly as they looked to get back into the game but a knock to Sho-Silva brought about a break in play, giving the home side the chance to regroup. Saying that, Sho-Silva looked to be in some discomfort as he was helped to the sidelined and it wasn't long before he was replaced by Joe Healy.
Healy quickly gave away a free-kick which was taken by Newton and cleared for a corner and when Newton swung the ball in, Ledsham headed goalwards before Burrow flicked over. Sam Corne then replaced Zach Fagan for the hosts before the resultant goal-kick was taken.
The Imps had a great chance to draw level shortly after the hour mark but Burrow fired wide on the turn after good strength from Sam-Yorke saw him create the chance for his strike partner. Ledsham was then inches away from connecting with a Caprice cross. At the other end a Malachi Hudson cross-cum-shot was tipped onto the bar by Townsend.
With 19 minutes on the clock some excellent defending from Jamal Fyfield saw him deny Tomlinson a sight of goal as that lack of a killer touch in the attacking third continued to elude the Imps.
Persistence from Sam-Yorke saw him win a corner off Fyfield four minutes later but nothing came from Newton's delivery whilst at the other end Ben Jefford fired inches wide after linking up well with Marsh.
A third and final change for the Imps saw Marcus Marshall replace Jordan Burrow but shortly after this switch the home side doubled their advantage; Marsh shaking off Diagne's challenge and finishing past Townsend after the referee played advantage.
A long-range chip inches over the bar saw the hosts come close to making it 3-0 before Loui Fazakerley replaced Malachi Hudson for the Wings. City's response saw Sam-Yorke win a corner which came to nothing.
With three minutes on the clock Power was booked following a meaty challenge on Beautyman on the half-way line and Healy joined him in the last minute after going in from behind on Diagne.
The Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on and the only action of note during these extra stages seeing Fazakerley pick up a booking after he kicked the ball away after being penalised for a foul on Newton before the substitute forced Townsend to tip a low effort behind.
FT: WELLING 2 IMPS 0
LINCOLN CITY
26 Nick TOWNSEND
17 Jake CAPRICE
23 Nat BROWN
6 Tony DIAGNE
3 Sean NEWTON
14 Jon NOLAN
12 Arnaud MENDY
8 Alan POWER
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
9 Jordan BURROW
11 Ben TOMLINSON
subs
4 Todd JORDAN
10 Karl LEDSHAM (for BROWN 30)
15 Delano SAM-YORKE (for NOLAN h/t)
22 Marcus MARSHALL (for BURROW 77)
31 David PREECE
BOOKINGS: NEWTON (24), POWER (87)
WELLING UNITED
1 Jonathan HENLY
3 Jamal FYFIELD
4 Jake GALLAGHER
5 Zach FAGAN
6 Chris BUSH
8 Harry BEAUTYMAN
11 Tyrone MARSH
14 Ben JEFFORD
21 Tobi SHO-SILVA
23 Barney WILLIAMS
24 Malachi HUDSON
subs
2 Loui FAZAKERLEY (for HUDSON 79)
15 Aristide BASSELE
20 Sam CORNE (for FAGAN 57)
33 Joe HEALY (for SHO-SILVA 55)
13 Jamie TURNER
GOALS: GALLAGHER (25), MARSH (78)
BOOKINGS: FAGAN (33), HEALY (90), FAZAKERLEY (90+3)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Colin Lymer
ASSISTANTS: Lloyd Wood & Russell Howes
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Aji Ajibola
ATTENDANCE: 504
