Match report...
City boss Chris Moyses had the luxury of naming an unchanged squad for this Vanarama National League game at Altrincham as the Imps looked to make it three wins on the spin with success at Moss Lane.
Although the sun was out there was a distinct chill in the mid-February air as referee Richard Wigglesworth led the teams out on to the pitch and once the pre-match formalities with the captains was done and dusted play commenced with Altrincham kicking off.
There was a very early chance for City when good footwork from James Caton just 30 seconds in saw him create space but his shot was saved by home stopper Tim Deasy. Altrincham reply by winning a corner before Paul Farman got in a decent save to deny Damian Reeves.
At the other end Jack Muldoon picked our Matt Rhead but he fired straight at Deasy and the end-to-end start continued and when Farman palmed away a low drive the ball fell kindly for Jonathan Margetts to open the scoring with less than three minutes on the clock.
City's heads didn't drop though and within four minutes they levelled when some patient build-up play on the right gave Bradley Wood the chance to whip in a cross and there to meet it was MATT RHEAD to plant a superb header past Deasy.
The action-packed opening continued and in the 10th minute the home side regained their lead when a deep cross from the right found Josh Ginnelly at the back post and he duly swept home a first-time volley.
This goal seemed to quieten things down a bit but the game came to life again in the 19th minute when a City throw-in ended up seeing Caton bundled over in the box. Rhead took responsibility from the spot but fired wide and into the City supporters behind the goal.
Another quiet spell ensued, although the Imps were in command of the possession with the next half-chance coming on the half-hour mark with Muldoon having an effort held low to his left by Deasy.
A couple of minutes later a trip on Muldoon saw Greg Tempest curl a free-kick in and as Jamie McCombe went to meet it, he was denied by the arm of a home defender. Referee Wigglesworth pointed to the spot for a second time and this time MATT RHEAD made no mistake.
A minute after the restart Tempest released Caton down the middle but his touch was heavy as he prodded past the advancing Deasy and the home defence were able to clear their lines.
Shortly afterwards Farman blocked a Reeves header with his body before a sweeping City counter-attack ended with Muldoon penalised for a foul after he tried to get on the end of a Rhead knock-down.
Muldoon and Marcus Holness then tangled on the edge of the box but the decision again went against the City man. At the other end Margetts fired over and into the terrace houses behind Farman's goal.
HT: ALTRINCHAM 2 IMPS 2
Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and City were the first to press with Wood and Power combining before Holness saw his scooped clearance go straight into Deasy's gloves.
In the 52nd minute Rhead was clattered from behind by Scott Leather and after referee Wigglesworth let play continue, Caton appeared to be felled by the advancing Deasy. Nothing other than a City throw was given though and with the officials unsure who committed the offence, no cards came out.
Skipper Alan Power sent a low fizzing drive inches wide from the edge of box as the Imps pressed forward again and their pressure paid off in the 57th minute when Rhead flicked on a ball down the middle and there to control and blast home with a clinical finish was JACK MULDOON to edge City in front.
Eight minutes later Altrincham levelled with a fluke goal; Tempest's back pass to Farman bobbled on the tricky surface and after the City stopper was forced to control, he saw his subsequent clearance crash straight at Reeves with the ball flying into the back of the net.
The was Reeves' final touch as he was replaced by James Lawrie before play restarted. Dylan Mottley-Henry came on for Ryan Crowther at the same time.
George Maris for Terry Hawkridge was the Imps' first switch, this coming in the 72nd minute, and his first touch saw him test Deasy with a low drive after good work by Caton on the opposite side ended up seeing Tempest loop a cross into the mix.
Chris Bush picked up a 78th minute yellow card following a foul on Margetts and three minutes later Muldoon joined him in the book following a lunge on Jordan Sinnott.
A quiet spell ensued with a number of stoppages not aiding the flow at all and just before the Fourth Official indicated a minimum of four added minutes Robbie McDaid replaced Muldoon. The youngster was quickly in the action, winning a free-kick but when Tempest floated the ball in, McCombe was penalised for a push.
FT: ALTRINCHAM 3 IMPS 3
LINCOLN CITY
1 Paul FARMAN
2 Bradley WOOD
3 Greg TEMPEST
6 Chris BUSH
7 Jack MULDOON
8 Alan POWER
9 Matt RHEAD
12 Terry HAWKRIDGE
18 Lee BEEVERS
27 Jamie McCOMBE
28 James CATON
subs
5 Luke WATERFALL
19 Robbie McDAID (for MULDOON 90)
21 Matt SPARROW
29 George MARIS (for HAWKRIDGE 72)
13 Aidan GRANT
GOALS: RHEAD (7, 33 pen), MULDOON (58)
BOOKINGS: BUSH (78), MULDOON (81)
ALTRINCHAM
17 Tim DEASY
20 Jordan SINNOTT
3 Adam GRIFFIN
6 Scott LEATHER
28 Marcus HOLNESS
8 Simon RICHMAN
4 Jake MOULT
10 Damian REEVES
15 Josh GINNELLY
27 Jonathon MARGETTS
19 Ryan CROWTHER
subs
7 James LAWRIE (for REEVES 66)
12 Sam HEATHCOTE
14 Josh O'KEEFE
23 Callum WILLIAMS
26 Dylan MOTTLEY-HENRY (for CROWTHER 66)
GOALS: MARGETTS (3), GINNELLY (10), REEVES (65)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Richard Wigglesworth
ASSISTANTS: Daniel Woodward & Helen Conley
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Alan Bennett
ATTENDANCE: 1,293 (280+ visiting supporters)
