Lincoln City 2
Mansfield Town 0
IN excess of 1000 disappointed Stags fans made the short journey home from Sincil bank after watching their side dominate the Red Imps for 45 minutes to only throw it all away in the second period and watch Maltese international get dismissed for a professional foul. The Stags seemed to feel the absence of the experienced Centre half and never really got back into the game after his early retirement
There just two changes to the starting eleven as Carlton Palmer's Stags side fielded a more attacking 4-3-3 formation including Adam Rundle making his debut replacing Wayne Corden in a wide left position following the news that Corden can leave the club. Tom Curtis returned into action playing in the middle of the three.
Lincoln Boss Keith Alexander plummed to play a more defensive 5-2-3 formation which could only men one thing. The dreaded long ball game by passing the midfield altogether.
The action as was expected got of to a flying start with the stags attacking early on only taking 60 seconds to make a threat on the goal of Alan Marriott when a free kick was floated towards the eighteen yard box where Richie Barker was charging in to meet the ball with his head but he was beaten by Gareth Mcauly who was marking his territory well.
The first shot on target however came courtesy of the home side when a long ball fell to Jamie McCombe in the eighth minute. The strike low and to Pilkington's right had the Stags shot stopper dropping quickly to block the ball on it's travels.
The Stags sustained the pressure for twenty minutes culminating in Simon Brown turning just outside the box and drilling a low shot through ten red and white shirts only to find the safe hands of keeper Alan Marriott.
Despite the stags keeping the majority of the possession in the opening twenty minutes the imps were playing a very defensive game and make quick and potentially potent counter breaks. Non less so than when Pilkington charging out of his area then been beaten of the ball allowed a warning shot to br fired from the left channel narrowly missing the target.
With only two minutes of normal playing time remaining and the stags having ninety percent of the possession City came close to opening the scoring when a rogue shot broke through to a sole striker who hurried the shot only to find the outside of the side netting.
In a first half that had the home team on the back foot for the majority of the forty five minutes played the Stags were feeling a little disappointed not to have found the net at least once but with only one shot on target for their troubles it is not really surprising. City themselves only had two shots on target but the signs were there to be heeded.
Coming back from the break the imps made a change bringing on Peter Gain to replace Jamie McCombe. The Stags remained unchanged.
The second period started in a similar vein to the way the first ended with the Imps defending deep and making quick counter attacks.
It took eight minutes for the home side to take the lead when a deep cross fired in from Simon Yeo a mix up in the Stags box allowed the ball and a mass of players to encroach in Pilkington's territory. The Stags shot stopper managed to get a hand to the first effort bringing it off the cross bar but the spilt ball was dealt with ineffectively and Ciaran Toner was gifted a simple side foot home to open the scoring.
Lincoln City 1 Mansfield Town 0
With their new found confidence the imps turned up the heat when a shot by Francis Green came close for number two.
On the hour Carlton Palmer replaced Tom Curtis with the pacier Derek Asamoah. His link up with his forward running team mates immediately obvious with Brown firing a shot from the right channel forcing Marriott to make his first save of the half. Yet one minute later Palmer replaced Brown with the fresh legs of Colin Larkin.
In the 65th minute the Stags misery was compounded when Simon Yeo was brought to ground by Luke Dimech as he was striding from seventy plus yards towards the stags third. Dimech being the last man was shown the straight red card for a professional foul. Taking advantage of the extra man immediately burst forward from the free kick setting Taylor-Fletcher up for a chance at extending the lead but Pilkington managed some how to get a hand to the advancing shot.
The stags third and last change came in the sixty ninth minute when Carlton Palmer brought on Fraser McLachlan as replacement for debutante Adam Rundle.
Michael Blackwood was introduced by Keith Alexander to replace Francis Green in the 81st minute during a stoppage in play as the imps were preparing for a freekick from twenty five yards which was hammered towards Pilkington who stopped the shot but spilt the ball just nicely foir Simon Yeo to knock it home and extend the lead.
Lincoln City 2 Mansfield Town 0
The last change of the day was the honour of the Imps who brought on Michael Westcarr to replace Simon Yeo.
The referee eventually blew his whistle a minute too early after the fourth official indicated two minutes of extra time but the stags were probably pleased and it was the home side that kept all the points on this occasion.
Lincoln City: Alan Mariott, Jamie McCombe (Peter Gain 45), Paul Morgan, Gareth McAuley, Matthew Bloomer, Ciaran Toner, Kevin Sandwith, Francis Green (Michael Blackwood 81), Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Simon Yeo (Craig Westcarr 86)
Subs NOT Used: Richie Hanlon, Martcus Richardson
Mansfield Town: Kevin Pilkington, Jake Buxton, Luke Dimech, Alex John-Baptiste, Gareth Jelleyman, Adam Murray, Tom Curtis (Derek Asamoah 60), Adam Rundle (Fraser McLachlan 69), Simon Brown (Colin Larkin 61), Alex Neill, Richie Barker
Subs NOT Used: Jason White, Shane Smeltz
Discipline: Luke Dimech (Red- Professional Foul 65)
Referee: Mr E Ilderton
Assts: Mr SG Artis, Mr MR Tilling
4th Off: Mr SM Hutchinson
