Match report...
Following Saturday's historic Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final tie at Arsenal, there were no less than nine changes to the City starting line-up for this Buildbase FA Trophy Semi-Final First Leg tie at York City with only Bradley Wood and Sam Habergham retaining their places.A first minute corner ended up with home stopper Kyle Letheren holding a Billy Knott drive at the second attempt and a couple of minutes later another City corner forced the York keeper to claim when the ball was played in.
After a quiet spell, Jon Parkin went in late on Elliott Whitehouse on the half-way line but referee Anthony Backhouse settled for a free-kick in the Imps' favour but it wasn't long before the Imps were pushing forward and when LEE ANGOL was upended in the box in the 14th minute it gave the loan striker the chance to take aim from the spot, bagging his fourth goal in two games in the process.
Four minutes later a late challenge on Adam Marriott by Shaun Rooney saw the City striker need treatment before play resumed and it wasn't until the 26th minute before the next action of note came along; Habergham trying his luck from range but seeing his effort fizz just over the bar in the process.
In the 34th minute a slick City move down the right ended with Joe Ward and Angol combining before the latter's ball to Marriott saw the offside flag go up. A couple of minutes later there was a final warning for Rooney following a late challenge on Angol before a quick City counter-attack ended with the overlapping Habergham winning a corner. This ended up with Jamie McCombe being pulled up for a push.
As the half wore on City continued to dominate as Marriott forced another corner. Ginnelly picked out Jamie McCombe with his delivery but the big centre-back saw his flick header fly just over the bar.
Rooney committed another foul just before the Fourth Official indicated a minimum of two aded minutes but despite the earlier warning, referee Anthony Backhouse decided to keep his cards in his pocket. The half duly ended with the Imps a goal to the good.
HT: YORK 0 IMPS 1
Aidan Connolly replaced Scott Fenwick for the hosts prior to the start of the second half and within three minutes of the restart Angol picked up a harsh yellow card after referee Backhouse deemed he had taken too long to retreat from a York free-kick.
York's bright start to the second half saw them level matters eight minutes in when a hopeful ball into the box was flicked on by Vadaine Oliver and the former City man saw his header nestle in the left-hand corner of Etheridge's net with the debutant stopper rooted to the spot.
On the hour mark referee Backhouse seemed to have a problem with his intercom system bringing about a break in play and when play restarted Whitehouse was penalised for a trip on Simon Heslop but Sean Newton fired a weak free-kick straight at the City wall.
There was eventually a yellow card or Rooney in the 64th minute after he kicked the ball away following the award of a City free-kick whilst shortly afterwards Adriano Moke replaced Alex Whittle for the hosts.
After Ward needed treatment after he was taken out on the right flank, Letheren claimed the resultant free-kick and released substitute Moke. He sprinted forward before his drive hit Connolly and flew past a wrong-footed Letheridge to give the Minstermen the lead.
City's response saw Matt Rhead and Alan Power come on for Adam Marriott and Billy Knott whilst a third and final switch saw Luke Waterfall come on for Jamie McCombe in the 80th minute.
A decent save by Letheren saw him keep out a Ward drive as the Imps pressed for a leveller and a couple of minutes later a Waterfall header from a Habergham free-kick was tipped over by Letheren but the referee awarded a goal-kick, much to the annoyance of the Imps' bench and fans.
Rhead then had a header from a Ward cross somehow kept out before referee Backhouse spotted a foul before Ginnelly drove goalwards. Two York players took the opportunity to go to ground and eat up some seconds and when play restarted Oliver went straight through the back of Wood, picking up a deserved yellow card in the process.
Six added minutes failed to produce any further action of note so it was York who went into the second leg on Saturday with a one-goal advantage.
FT: YORK 2 IMPS 1
LINCOLN CITY
39 Ross ETHERIDGE
2 Bradley WOOD
3 Sam HABERGHAM
4 Elliott WHITEHOUSE
6 Callum HOWE
10 Adam MARRIOTT
27 Jamie McCOMBE
31 Lee ANGOL
34 Billy KNOTT
36 Josh GINNELLY
38 Joe WARD
subs
5 Luke WATERFALL (for McCOMBE 80)
7 Jack MULDOON
8 Alan POWER (for KNOTT 72)
9 Matt RHEAD (for MARRIOTT 72)
11 Terry HAWKRIDGE
GOAL: ANGOL (14 pen)
BOOKING: ANGOL (48)
YORK CITY
28 Kyle LETHEREN
2 Shaun ROONEY
3 Alex WHITTLE
8 Simon HESLOP
9 Amari MORGAN-SMITH
21 Scott FENWICK
29 Vadaine OLIVER
31 Jon PARKIN
33 Sean NEWTON
35 Danny HOLMES
37 Hamza BENCHERIF
subs
12 Aidan CONNOLLY (for FENWICK h/t)
13 Luke SIMPSON
16 Tyler WALTON
30 Sam FIELDING
34 Adriano MOKE (for WHITTLE 65)
GOALS: OLIVER (53), CONNOLLY (70)
BOOKINGS: ROONEY (64) OLIVER (89)
MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Anthony Backhouse
ASSISTANTS: Dean Chapman & Daniel Woodward
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Glen Hart
ATTENDANCE: 3,294 (1,358 City supporters)