Final score: Lincoln City 3-1 Nuneaton
Attendance: 1,421
Starting Line-ups
Lincoln: Farman, Caprice, Miller, Bencherif, Newton, Adams, Nolan, Power, Marshall, Tomlinson, Burrow. Subs: Mendy, Robinson, Audel, Waite, Townsend.
Nuneaton Town: Dibble, Starosta, Franklin, Armson, Dawson, Streete, Gash, Smith, Brown, Fowler, Charles. Subs: Cowan, Dean, Walker, Quinn, Sodje.
New Lincoln City manager, Chris Moyses, saw Lincoln gain their third league win on the bounce in his first game after being announced as the Imps’ new manager. Jordan Burrow’s brace and Ben Tomlinson’s goal was enough to defeat Nuneaton 3-1 who had captain Theo Streete sent off in the second half.
Lincoln dominated the early exchanges of the Vanarama Conference match and they were rewarded within six minutes. Marcus Marshall with some good wing play down the right whipped a low cross and Jordan Burrow finished it in the sixth minute with a heel flick, burrowing in the goalkeepers bottom right hand corner.
In the early exchanges, Lincoln defender, Jake Caprice showed great pace down the right wing and another good direct run from Caprice, combined with the quality of the final pass allowed Tomlinson to score his seventh goal of the season on the 17th minute.
Following the goal Nuneaton were forced to make a change with Gavin Cowan replacing Anthony Charles.
It took at least 25 minutes of the game for Nuneaton to show any sign of ambition in the match. A simple goal kick from Christian Dibble and quick build up ended up with a ball fizzed across the Lincoln six yard box but no one was on the end of it.
Nuneaton then came close again, with a deflected cross by Dawson nearly being headed in after Anton Brown challenged Lincoln goalkeeper, Farman who spilled the ball. However it was hooked away by Lincoln Man of the Match, Hamza Bencherif.
The score at half-time was Lincoln 2-0 Nuneaton.
Nuneaton started the second half the strongest and showed more ambition and desire to get back into the game.
But in the 60th minute, a poor back pass header from Nuneaton defender, Ben Starosta, was then spilled by Dibble, which allowed Burrow to get his second goal of the night as he slotted home into an empty net.
After 63 minutes Nuneaton made their final two changes as Walker and Sodje replaced Fowler and Smith.
In the 67th minute Lincoln too made some changes as Mendy and Robinson replaced Adams and Burrow.
With 15 minutes remaining, Streete pulled down Nolan and left no choice for the referee but to send off the Nuneaton captain. Newton then forced a great save from the resulting free kick.
In the 80th minute, Lincoln made their final substitution with Marcus Marshall making way for Tyrell Waite.
Lincoln’s Tom Miller looked daze in the last couple of minutes and was eventually taken off but the Imps had used all their substitutions.
A back post header from Cowan gave Nuneaton a consolation goal in injury time as the full time result ended, Lincoln 3-1 Nuneaton.
Lincoln’s assistant manager, Grant Brown had this to say on the game. “2-0 was a nice goal line to go into half time. They were better in the second half and they had a go but the sending off made a big difference for them.”