Lincoln City 2-1 Morecambe
Sky Bet League One
The LNER Stadium
Tuesday 8 February 2022
Kick-Off: 7:45pm
Attendance: 7,571 (140 Shrimps)
Two first-half goals from Morgan Whittaker and Cohen Bramall helped the Imps to victory over the Shrimps, despite a stunning effort from Toumani Diagouraga.
Whittaker prodded home after 10 minutes after Anthony O’Connor cleared off the line, then Brammall netted ten minutes later after some neat work from the Lincoln man.
The Shrimps pulled one back through Diagouraga as the ball fell to him on the edge of the box, but that would be the last goal acton for Stephen Robinson’s side at the LNER Stadium.
Whittaker started well for the hosts and tried to chip Trevor Carson after five minutes, but the ‘keeper, on his return from a concussion lay off was alert to his attempt.
On the 10th it was Whittaker who opened the scoring.
A through ball found TJ Eyoma alone in the penalty area, he chose to lay the ball off to Anthony Scully instead of taking the shot on, Scully’s effort was superbly cleared off the by O’Connor before Whittaker tapped the ball into an empty net.
The Imps scored their second of the game 10 minutes later, another through ball into the box found Bramall in the box, he did superbly well to turn his man in the box and get his shot away, which beat Crason at his near post.
A minute shy of the break the Shrimps had an opportunity to get back into the game through Adam Phillips, but his free-kick was not troubling Josh Griffiths in the Lincoln goal.
O’Connor was the next to try his luck. An inch-perfect corner from Phillips found the head of the skipper who came with a couple of inches away from finding the top-left corner.
Half-time: Lincoln City 2-0 Morecambe
Manager Stephen Robinson decided that a change was needed at the start of the second-half, with Dylan Connolly making way for Alfie McCalmont.
On the 58th minute the Shrimps were handed a lifeline after a Diagouraga found the back of Griffiths’ goal. A free-kick from Phillips was played short to Ryan Cooney who put a ball into the box for it to be cleared as far as Diagouraga who lashed a volley home from the edge of the area.
Six minutes later Ayunga had a golden chance to level the game, a ball across the face of the box needed a composed finish from the front man, unfortunately Griffiths was there to make a huge save from the Imps.
14 minutes from time Carson made a huge save to deny Ben House who had just came on from the bench.
With minutes left of the game remaining, the Shrimps came close to nicking a point. A corner from Greg Leigh was headed goal-wards by Jon Obika, but the strikers effort cannoned off the post and away from danger.
Full-time: Lincoln City 2-1 Morecambe
We return to the Mazuma Stadium on Saturday as we take on Gillingham in Sky Bet League One.
Lincoln City: Griffiths, Poole, Sanders, Whittaker (House 74’), Maguire, Scully (Cullen 88’), Bramall, Walsh, McGrandles (C), Eyoma (Norton-Cuffy 83’), Marquis.
Subs not used: Wright, Fiorini, Sorensen, Robson.
Goals: Whittaker 10’, Bramall 20’
Bookings: Walsh 43’, Maguire 90’.
Red cards: None.
Morecambe: Carson, Leigh, O’Connor, Bedeau, Cooney, Diagouraga, Phillips, McLoughlin, Connolly (McCalmont 46’), Stockton, Ayunga (Obika 67’).
Subs not used: Smith, Gnahoua, Fane, Duffus, Bennett.
Goals: Diagouraga 58’
Bookings: Bedeau 90’
Red cards: None.