FT: Welling 1 Imps 0

With Paul Farman absent with a knee injury, goalkeeper David Preece came in for his first appearance of the season for this Skrill Premier game at Welling United. A second change to the side that started the FA Cup tie against Worcester in midweek saw Luke Foster replace the injured Conner Robinson.

A heavy pre-match shower made for a greasy playing surface as the Imps kicked off and City were the first to press forward with good interchange play between Todd Jordan and Alan Power seeing the latter feed Marlon Jackson who saw his cross hacked away as Ben Tomlinson threatened.

The Imps' next break forward saw a Dixon cross end up with Tomlinson force a corner which led to another and then another before the hosts were able to regroup and clear.

In the seventh minute Tomlinson was denied by a fine save from Lee Butcher after he was released by Tom Miller down the middle whilst the other end a Loui Fazackerley cross was diverted wide by Lee Clarke's chest.

A foul by Jordan on Kurtis Guthrie gave the hosts a chance from a set-piece on the quarter hour mark with David Preece doing well to push away Joe Healy's low 25-yard drive.

The resultant corner was dealt with well again by Preece at the back post as the heads went in and as the Imps responded, Jackson met a Jordan cross only for Butcher to fling himself full length to palm away.

Justice was served in the 28th minute when Preece gathered an Alex Dyer free-kick, awarded somewhat harshly after Boyce was penalised despite the Welling man clearly leading with a high boot in the challenge previous.

A crunching challenge on Jordan by Jake Gallagher left the City man grounded before Newton was felled as the tackles started to fly in. Tomlinson then fired an effort wide of the mark as the Imps pushed forward.

Nine minutes before the break Jackson let fly from range with the ball squirming through Butcher's gloves and over for a corner whilst the Imps kept up the pressure, winning a free-kick on the right which was taken by Newton and hurriedly cleared.

A lunge on Foster by Franks then gave the Imps another free-kick just outside the box but Newton's effort flew inches over whilst in the dying stages of the 45 minutes a City corner was cleared before the half ended after one additional minute.

HT: Welling 0 Imps 0

The first action of the second half saw a Welling free-kick end up seeing Preece smother at the feet of Guthrie. City's response saw the marauding Newton win a corner courtesy of a deflected shot.

After a quiet spell the game sprung into life in the 53rd minute when the hosts got their noses in front; a ball into the box wasn't cleared and there to capitalise was midfielder Gallagher who rounded Preece before drilling his side in front.

City's response saw Tomlinson divert a Jackson cross wide before Miller forced Healy into conceding a free-kick which was curled over by Newton. Waide Fairhurst then replaced Luke Foster with the clock showing 61 minutes played.

Good work from skipper Power saw him win a corner which was cleared for a throw-in before Ross Lafayette came on for Hughes-Mason for the home side and Butcher saved a diving header from his defender Franks from a Newton cross.

Fairhurst's first involvement saw him win a corner which ended up seeing the ball in Butcher's gloves. Doug Bergqvist then replaced Alex Dyer for the home side before Preece claimed a Franks flick-header from Obersteller's free-kick.

Nick Wright for Bohan Dixon was the Imps' second switch with 15 minutes on the clock before a trip on Jordan earned Clarke a caution. Jackson's free-kick flew inches wide. 

The Imps' next attack ended with Wright having a header saved by Butcher whilst at the other end the home side won their second corner of the game which was cleared before Tomlinson advanced winning a corner at the other end.

City kept pressing with Boyce pushed forward in attack and following a free-kick into the mix Brown won another corner before the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of four minutes were to be added on.

At the other end Welling ate some seconds up with Healy seeing a cross deflect off Miller for a corner. City dealt with the ball into the box when it arrived before the game ended following a Welling free-kick for high feet by Boyce.

FT: Welling 1 Imps 0