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FT: Imps 1 Macclesfield 0

13th August

Match report from Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium

There was one change to the City starting line-up for this Skrill Premier game against Macclesfield Town at Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium with Mo Fofana being replaced by Danny Rowe who came in for his City debut.

A couple of pre-match showers made for a greasy surface and this was proved to be a problem in the opening minute when a forward ball from Andrew Boyce forced a hurried clearance with the resultant long throw from Dan Gray being diverted into Rhys Taylor's gloves by Ben Tomlinson.

In the seventh minute Alan Power picked up possession before playing the ball out right to Wright who scuffed his first time effort giving the Town defence time to block and as the visitors responded, Chris Holroyd slipped giving Nat Brown the chance to clear.

Three minutes later Tomlinson won the game's first corner which ended with Taylor punching away Sean Newton's inswinger from under his crossbar; Town then responded with Scott Boden winning a corner for his side off Brown after Luke Foster gave possession away cheaply on the half-way line.

A cruching challenge by Connor Jennings on Newton saw referee Darren Handley have words with the Town man whilst a minute later Tomlinson was upended 25 yards out by Steve Williams following a swift City break. Williams saw yellow for his offence before Newton curled over.

Taylor remained the busier of the two keepers as he was forced to tip over a dipping Tomlinson effort in the 20th minute before palming Power's corner behind; the follow-up flag kick ended with Brown seeing his effort clip a defender before going out on the opposite flank. Another corner followed but the Town defence were given a breather when Boyce was pulled up for pushing.

Tomlinson drilled wide as the Imps pushed forward again but it was from the next attack that the deadline was eventually broken; a great piece of vision from Wright created the opportunity for DANNY ROWE and the latter did the rest, cutting in on to his right before curling a superb effort past Taylor for the Imps' first goal of the season.

Wright was denied by Taylor at full stretch as the Imps pushed for a quick second but City had to be on their guard at the other end when a quick Town break ended with Boyce blocking a Danny Whitaker drive.

There was a blow for the Imps in the 33rd minute when Wright pulled up holding his hamstring as he chased a forward Rowe pass down the left flank and he looked to be in some discomfort as he was helped off by physio Kev Oxby.

Bohan Dixon was Wright's replacement and he was quickly in the action, picking up the ball after Tomlinson fired across the face of goal from a Rowe pass only for his pass into the box to find a Town defender.

City won their sixth corner of the game which ended with Foster heading wide at the back post after the ball came to him through a crowd of players whilst Town won a corner at the other end when good back-tracking from Dixon saw him divert a Whitaker cross behind.

Before the corner could be taken Power was forced off with blood coming from a cut lip and when it was the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of two minutes were to be added on. The last action of the half saw Danny Andrew curl a long-range free-kick well over.

HT: Imps 1 Macclesfield 0

City restarted proceedings with neither side making any changes during the break but it was the Silkmen who had the first attack of the second half with Andrew forcing Farman to tip over at his near post.

Another Town corner followed eight minutes after the restart but Andrew curled the ball straight out of play as the visitors started the brighter of the two teams.

Shortly after the hour mark there was a break in play following a clash of heads between Dixon and Bolton with the latter appearing to come off the worse, requiring some lengthy attention from his physio.

With both players back on, City had a great shout for a penalty as Tomlinson was pushed in the back as he looked to latch on to a Gray ball over the top but the officials are having none of it. Rowe then headed over before Joe Connor was booked for a lunge on Dixon.

Town striker Holroyd was then spoken to following a spat with Boyce before the official had words with Rowe and Jennings after a clash in the Town half. Jennings saw yellow before Rowe joined him in the book.

Mo Fofana replaced Rowe three minutes later before the advancing Gray fired over from 25 yards. At the other end Holroyd had an effort disallowed for offside after Farman palmed away a low effort from range.

With Bolton off the pitch for attention to a cut head, Newton sees his goalbound free-kick headed behind for a corner. Jack Mackreth replaced Bolton shortly afterwards before Nolan fired wide after good work by Dixon.

At the other end Boden fizzed a powerful drive inches over the bar whilst City's response saw Dixon have an effort ruled out for offside after Fofana helped the ball back in following a weak Taylor punch clear.

Four minutes of added time was indicated by the Fourth Official and in the opening stages Tomlinson was cynically taken out by Paul Lewis who saw yellow for his troubles.

The last action of the game saw Fofana slip over as he prepared to pull the trigger after being released by Nolan but this didn't matter as seconds later referee Handley brought proceedings to a close.

FT: Imps 1 Macclesfield 0

LINCOLN CITY

1 Paul FARMAN

15 Dan GRAY

5 Andrew BOYCE

23 Nat BROWN

3 Sean NEWTON

27 Luke FOSTER

19 Jon NOLAN

8 Alan POWER

9 Danny ROWE

11 Ben TOMLINSON