With Tom Newey passing a let fitness test, Town boss Alan Buckley decided to give Gary Jones the vacant defensive position vacated by the suspended Nick Fenton.

Peter Bore came in for the ill Peter Till and Isaiah Rankin started up front alongside Martin Paterson. Michael Reddy was amongst the substitutes, his first call to action this season.

Lincoln welcomed back Jamie Forester after injury, partnering former Mariner Martin Gritton in attack.

Rankin broke clear after only four minutes but the referee pulled him back for an offside decision.

Barnes came racing out of his area minutes later to clear a call which fell to Forester. The former Town frontman tried a quick long-range effort but it was blocked.

Kerr almost gave the Imps the lead on 27 minutes but his effort was just wide of Barnes' right-hand post.

Hegarty and Paterson combined well down the left but Hegarty's dangerous cross to Rankin was cut out for a corner.

From the corner the ball eventually fell for Pulis to drive wide of the post.

The Mariners looked to have rode the storm, but with just a minute to go to the break, the Imps took the lead.

From a corner, the ball was headed on by an unmarked Morgan to Forester, who turned before drilling his shot low past Barnes.

The home side, from a carbon copy of the first corner, almost doubled their lead in added on time. Morgan climbed the highest and his header found the diving head of Beevers but Barnes made a smart save to deny him.

Half Time: Lincoln 1 Town 0

Rankin harassed Mariot at the start of the second half and he sliced his clearance upwards but Bore couldn't capitalise.

Hegarty saw a good effort go just over from 20 yards.

Croft was felled 25 yards from goal. Pulis stepped up and crossed the ball to the far post for Jones but Marriot caught the ball well.

On 57 minutes Gary Harkins replaced the out of sorts Peter Bore.

Harkins slotted into the back four, Jones joined Paterson up front with Rankin going out on the right.

Harkins was straight into the action, clearing with Forester lurking behind him.

Town made their second substitution on 61, with Reddy coming on for Hegarty to try and get something out of the game.

The Mariners were reduced to 10 men on 66 minutes as Jones was shown a red card for what looked an innocuous challenge.

But Lincoln doubled their lead on 73 minutes. A long throw found Frecklington at the near post, he swivelled before hammering the ball into the roof of the net, giving Barnes no chance.

Harkins won the ball in midfield before releasing Paterson but his pass to Reddy was shepherded out of play for a goal kick.

The Imps almost made it three from a late corner, but Croft was on the line to deny Beevers from a header.