Lincoln City recorded consecutive victories after travelling to promotion chasing Cheltenham Town.
Hat-trick hero from the weekend, Ashley Grimes, was again the star player as City lifted themselves off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone.
After only making one change to the team that beat Stockport at the weekend, it was Tilson’s men that started the brightest with on loan striker Grimes looking the most dangerous. It only took until the second minute for the in-form man to get his first chance, looping a header against the crossbar. Shortly after he curled a dangerous looking shot just wide of Scott Brown’s upright.
The early pressure finally took it’s toll on the home team as relegation threatend Lincoln took the lead. From the first corner of the game, nine minutes in, central defender Danny Hone laid the ball back to Grimes, his shot struck the post and came back to Stephen Hunt who bundled the ball into the back of the net. The on loan Notts County defender scoring his first for the club.
Grimes continued to cause the home side’s defence problems but Delroy Facey was not to be out done by his top-scoring strike partner, as he hit a long drive which was well kept out by Brown in the Cheltenham net.
Half way through the first half City doubled their lead. Josh O’Keefe reacted well to good work down the left by Gavin McCallum, driving the ball high into the Cheltenham net, via the underside of the bar, after the wingers superb lay off. This was not a chance, however, for the visitors to sit back and they continued to push forward looking to extend their advantage. Goal scorer O’Keefe again linked up with McCallum only to see the formers header bounce just wide.
Just five minutes later though, the hosts halved the defecit with virtually their first attempt. Frankie Artus found himself a free run in to the box where he met a perfectly flighted cross to plant his header past Lincoln glovesman Trevor Carson.
This goal gave the home side some belief and they started to produce some neat build up play, however they only managed to test Carson from long distance.
Unlike saturday’s game, the second half featured little of note. Cheltenham Town’s only realy chance of the half fell to striker Wesley Thomas but he could only find the post after being slipped through from midfield. Lincoln did manage to get the ball in the net, but referee Anthony Taylor deemed it to be deliberately via the arm of young Grimes who was duely cautioned for the offence.
The win sees the Imps move up to 22nd in the table, on goal difference, but with four games in hand of those below them. A vital victory for Steve Tilson in a game many would have expected them to struggle in. Lincoln now entertain 5th placed Port Vale at Sincil Bank on Saturday.
