A point apiece at Sincil Bank
Shrewsbury Town: 25 Max O’Leary, 2 Aaron Pierre, 5 Ro-Shaun Williams, 6 Omar Beckles, 8 Ollie Norburn (c), 10 Fejiri Okenabirhie (7 Shaun Whalley 70), 11 Ryan Giles, 17 Donald Love, 22 Sean Goss (21 Louis Thompson 85), 28 Josh Laurent, 35 Jason Cummings (23 Daniel Udoh 60)
Subs: 1 Joe Murphy, 3 Scott Golbourne, 4 Dave Edwards, 15 Brad Walker
Lincoln City: Josh Vickers, Harry Toffolo, Michael O’Connor, Jason Shackell, Cian Bolger, Jack Payne (Callum Connolly 85), Bruno Andrade, Tyler Walker, Jorge Grant (John Akinde 69), Joe Morrell, Neal Eardley
Subs: Grant Smith, Ellis Chapman, Max Melbourne, Harry Anderson, Jake Hesketh,
Ref: Josh Smith
Assistants: Grant Taylor and Ian Dudley
Town make two changes from the side that started the last Sky Bet League One game at Tranmere. Callum Lang is out after an operation on his foot, in come Fejiri Okenabirhie and Jason Cummings with Dan Udoh dropping to the bench.
Heavy rain showers had stopped just in time for the start of the game, and both sides were getting the ball down and playing football from the off.
The first five minutes saw both sides trying to stretch each other and Town were doing all the right things to keep the home crowds noise to a minimum.
The first good effort on goal came from he home side after a cross-field ball from Norburn was cut-out, the ball was played to Andrade who hit a shot from the edge of the box but it zipped over.
Town were looking to get the ball wide quickly and when it was played to Okenabirhie he showed good pace to get away down the right, he crossed the ball into the box but it was too high for Cummings.
Lincoln were starting to create the clearer openings and the Town defence had to be alert on a number of occasions to snuff out the danger. The Imps got a good sights of goal around the 20 minute mark with first Morrell firing a long range effort over and then Grant putting a header just wide of the post.
The first booking of the game came with 28 minutes on the clock, Toffolo went flying under the challenge of Love and stayed down, the ref stopped play and Pierre must have protested too much as the card was shown to him.
Town had a great opening on 30 minutes after a Lincoln pass across the edge of the box was cut out by Cummings, he turned his marker and laid it off to set up Okenabirhie, but he slipped at the vital time and Vickers was down to collect the ball.
Town were starting to press higher up the pitch and managed to nick the ball away on a number of occasions, the counter attacks looked dangerous but just broke down at the vital moment though.
Town were awarded a free-kick with 10 minutes of the half remaining, Goss was over the ball and whipped an inviting ball in behind the defence, Vickers was down to punch but the ball dropped to Love on the edge of the box, he hit a first time shot but it flew wide of the farpost.
Lincoln were looking dangerous on the counter and when the ball was played in behind Beckles it looked dangerous, he got back to close down but the low cross came in, O’Leary was alert though and down quickly to smoother the ball.
Town were pressing as the half-time break was approaching, they were moving the ball around the Lincoln half looking for the openings. A ball from Norburn found Love at the back post, the took he ball down and then set it for Laurent, it looked like a great chance to take the lead but a Lincoln foot nicked the ball just as Josh was about to pull the trigger.
As the half ended Town had a good sight of goal, Okenabirhie cut out a pass on the halfway line and then drove forward, he played it to Cummings who held off his marker and fired in a long-range effort that flew over the bar.
Half time: 0-0
Town were still creating good chances and when Goss cut out a pass he drove forward and had options, he played it to Cummings who was free on the left, he got in a cross but it had a little too much on it for Okenabirhie who had found space in the box.
Town had another good opening with 10 minutes on the clock, the ball was played out of defence and found Cummings, he brought the ball down and played it wide for Giles, he found space in the box and drove in a low shot but it was blocked by a clutch of Imps defenders.
Moments later Town pulled out a great save from Vickers, it came after a free-kick was awarded 25 yards from goal, Goss lined it up and curled a great effort in but Vickers was equal to it tipping the ball around the post.
Sam Ricketts made his first change of the evening on 60 minutes, bringing on Dan Udoh to replace Jason Cummings in a straight swap.
The game was still end-to-end but neither team was stamping their authority on it, there were good periods but both sides were making mistakes and slips.
On 70 minutes Sam Ricketts made his second change of the evening brining Shaun Whalley on to replace Fejiri Okenabirhie.
Town picked up another booking on 75 minutes, Morrell looked to burst through the Town defence and into the box, Norburn slid in and the Imps player went flying, free-kick and a booking for Norbs.
There was a big decision for ref Smith with 10 minutes of the game remaining, the ball was played wide for Whalley and he burst over the half-way line and looked to get in, Bolger came across and blocked off Whalley who went to ground, the ref was quickly over and produced a red card for the block.
With 5 minutes of normal time remaining Sam Ricketts made his final change with Louis Thompson on to replace Sean Goss.
Town were continuing to push and when the ball came to Norburn on the edge of the box he found the space to drive in a low shot, but Vickers was down quickly to save. Moments later Thompson moved the ball wide to Giles, he crossed it and it dropped to Love who hit a first time volley that was deflected wide.
Town kept pushing and creating chances but Lincoln dug deep and Town’s pressure didn’t pay off, so it was a point apiece.
Full-time: 0-0