Match report...
New loan signing Delano Sam-Yorke went straight into the starting line-up for this Vanarama Conference fixture at Woking, although there was no place for Nat Brown in defence through suspension; Hamza Bencherif returned in his place.
City kicked off and were the first to press with Jake Caprice winning a fourth minute corner which was taken by Sean Newton and headed over by Tony Diagne.
Woking's response saw them win a free-kick in the 11th minute but Newton was back to head Josh Payne's dangerous delivery out for a corner which was duly punched clear by Nick Townsend.
At the other end Jordan Burrow lobbed over the bar after Ben Tomlinson cushioned a header from a Diagne clearance into his path but it wasn't long before Woking pushed forward and when Dean Morgan gained possession just outside the box, he found space before firing past Townsend with a low drive.
The game entered a pretty scrappy period following this goal with play concentrated in the middle third. In fact it wasn't until the 27th minute before the next half-chance came along; Caprice picking out Tomlinson who fired over after getting in front of his marker.
City's next foray forward saw them put together some decent build-up play which ended with Jon Nolan drilling wide whilst at the other end Scott Rendell rounded Townsend before netting but the flag was quickly raised to silence the home fans.
A Woking corner was then wasted before Theo Lewis fired over the stand from range with City's response seeing Arnaud Mendy win a corner which was taken by Newton, flicked on by Bencherif and headed inches wide by Burrow.
The hosts doubled their advantage a minute before the break with Payne firing home direct from a 25-yard free-kick, given after the Woking man was upended by skipper Alan Power.
City's response saw Sam-Yorke force a corner which was headed over by Bencherif before referee David Rock blew for the break.
HT: WOKING 2 IMPS 0
Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and it was the Imps who were the first to press with Nolan testing 'keeper Howe with an effort from 20 yards out.
Tomlinson then did well to draw a foul out of James Clarke but Howe commanded his area to claim Power's free-kick. At the other end an offside Rendell prodded wide after Townsend did well to keep out a Payne effort.
John Goddard for Giuseppe Sole was the first change of the game, this coming in the 56th minute and the substitute played a part in a move which led to a Woking corner a couple of minutes later. Nolan was back to head clear though.
Just after the hour mark Power was denied by Howe as the Imps pushed forward again with Tomlinson winning a corner shortly afterwards. This was curled in by Newton and bundled home by Burrow with the referee quick to award a goal, much to the annoyance of Chris Arthur who was booked before play resumed.
Marcus Marshall also replaced Delano Sam-Yorke for City and Mike Cestor came on for Theo Lewis for Woking before the Cards restarted play.
City kept pressing forward in a bid to draw level but, after Karl Ledsham replaced Alan Power in the middle of the park, the hosts restored their two-goal advantage with Morgan finishing easily from eight yards after Townsend had blocked the initial shot.
With 14 minutes on the clock, Sahr Kabba came on for Jake Caprice in a final throw of the dice by manager Gary Simpson. This coming before a swift Woking counter-attack ended with Arthur firing wide. Arthur was then replaced by Nicholas Arnold.
Townsend was forced to tip over an inswinging Payne corner and Rendell headed a cross over the bar as the clock ticked on. At the other end, and with just a couple of minutes remaining, Marshall forced a corner which was punched over by Howe.
This proved to be the last action of note with play ending following four additional minutes of play.
FT: WOKING 3 IMPS 1
LINCOLN CITY
26 Nick TOWNSEND
17 Jake CAPRICE
5 Hamza BENCHERIF
6 Tony DIAGNE
3 Sean NEWTON
14 Jon NOLAN
12 Arnaud MENDY
8 Alan POWER
9 Jordan BURROW
11 Ben TOMLINSON
15 Delano SAM-YORKE
subs
4 Todd JORDAN
7 Sahr KABBA (for CAPRICE 76)
10 Karl LEDSHAM (for POWER 72)
22 Marcus MARSHALL (for SAM-YORKE 65)
1 Paul FARMAN
GOAL: BURROW (64)
WOKING
1 Aaron HOWE
4 Mark RICKETT
5 Joe McNERNEY
6 James CLARKE
7 Josh PAYNE
9 Scott RENDELL
10 Giuseppe SOLE
14 Theo LEWIS
21 Joey JONES
24 Dean MORGAN
32 Chris ARTHUR
subs
3 Mike CESTOR (for LEWIS 65)
20 Reece BECKLES
22 John GODDARD (for SOLE 56)
31 Andy LITTLE
33 Nicholas ARNOLD (for ARTHUR 82)
GOALS: MORGAN (15 & 73), PAYNE (44)
BOOKING: ARTHUR (65)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: David Rock
ASSISTANTS: Jonathan Burridge & Shaun Barry
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Martyn Holmes
ATTENDANCE: 2,160
