Wanderers’ first-half fightback proved in vain as their season effectively ended at Sincil Bank, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites’ play-offs hopes had gradually evaporated on the back of a three-match losing run and six defeats in their previous eight games.
And despite goals from Jay Matete and Alex Murphy to wipe out an early deficit and have Steven Schumacher’s men level at the break, Lincoln’s win means Wanderers are now six points and far too many goals adrift of the top six with just two games to play.
James Collins’ second of the contest and a cheeky free-kick from Reeco Hackett nipped Wanderers’ revival in the bud and on another tough afternoon consigned the Whites to an 18th loss of a deeply disappointing campaign that will now end prematurely to launch the start of a summer re-build.
On the back of Good Friday’s defeat to Wycombe - and still with a lengthy injury list to contend with - Schumacher gave starting to chances to both David Abimbola and Sonny Sharples-Ahmed as both youngsters made full League debuts.
Abimbola started where he picked off as a substitute in his first appearance with a lively start and tussle with the City defence but it quickly threatened to become a baptism of fire for the pair.
Lincoln looked a side full of confidence thanks to a four-game unbeaten home run and just two defeats in their last nine matches as they made a flying start which brought them two goals in the opening 18 minutes.
Erik Ring opened the scoring with a cross Wanderers allowed to go directly in at the far post and then after Nathan Baxter had saved from Ben House, Abimbola was judged to have fouled Ethan Erhahon as he tried to help out at a corner to concede a penalty drilled home by the wily Collins.
It looked a long afternoon at that point as City attacked at will but Wanderers avoided any further damage and with half an hour gone gave themselves a lifeline when Matete pulled a goal back.
Wanderers were given space to play themselves and when George Thomason released Murphy, the wing-back pulled the ball back via another touch from Thomason for Matete to steer a fine low strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
It was wide open stuff and while Wanderers lived dangerously at times, they also carried a threat when they moved the ball forward and six minutes before the break they were level as the comeback gained further momentum.
This time the delivery came from the right as Josh Dacres-Cogley delivered a deep cross met by Murphy, whose powerful header flew in via deflection off Abimbola.
With the momentum behind them Wanderers – with Kyle Dempsey on in place of Sharples-Ahmed – kept pushing at the start of the second half and George Thomason twice burst forward from midfield to get a sight of goal.
But Lincoln – with nothing to lose and a near full house behind them – were never going to settle for what they had and eight minutes after the break restored their lead. The Whites had struggled to deal with crosses into their box and when Sean Roughan delivered another, target-man Collins showed his strength to head home his 10th goal since signing in January.
If that was a blow for the Whites there was worse to come as City then quickly restored their two-goal advantage thanks to a wonderfully engineered free-kick that, equally, summed up Wanderers’ defensive frailties.
With everyone waiting in the penalty area for the ball to be floated in from a spot 10 yards in from the touchline, Hackett instead curled a low shot directly into the space Baxter had left unguarded at the near post for the ball to go in off the frame of the goal.
Fighting back again from two goals down was then never likely to happen, even if Wanderers gave it a go and saw George Wickens make a brilliant save to keep out a Chris Forino header which might have provided a glimmer of hope.
Kion Etete also shot wide on the turn after Schumacher had used all his substitutes to try and find a way through and at least share the burden. Even then, though, Wanderers would finish a man down thanks to two quick-fire yellow cards for Dacres-Cogley and, collectively, the Whites know they haven’t been good enough.
Wanderers: Baxter; Jones (Etete 79), Forino, Johnston (Randall 79); Sharples-Ahmed (Dempsey HT); Dacres-Cogley, Matete, Thomason, Murphy; Abimbola (McAtee 59), Collins (Lolos 59). Substitutes: Southwood, Almeida-Santos.
Booked: Jones, Dacres-Cogley
Sent off: Dacres-Cogley
Lincoln City: Wickens; Darikwa, Hamer, Jackson, Roughan; Erhahon (McGrandles 63), Hamilton; Hackett (Bayliss 72), House (O’Connor, 82), Ring (Moylan 72); Collins (Draper 82). Substitutes: Jeacock (GK), Bayliss, Gardner.
Booked: Hamer, House
Referee: Jacob Miles
Attendance: 10,240 (1,761 away)