Lincoln City

Lincoln City

SOCCER

    Exeter City 3-1 Lincoln City

    Exeter booked their place in the League Two play-off final with a 3-1 victory over Lincoln at St James Park.Goals from Jayden Stockley, Hiram Boateng and Ryan Harley ensured the Grecians will play either Notts County or Coventry at Wembley on May 28.Exeter had the first effort at goal after a tense start when a long ball forward was knocked down by Stockley, only for Harley to get his volley all wrong and the ball drift harmlessly wide of goal.The midfielder tried his luck again moments later, but drilled a shot wide of goal from distance, while Robbie Simpson missed a great chance from close range after a good build-up involving the outstanding Boateng and Stockley.Lincoln's first chance came in the 15th minute when a long ball was headed down by Matt Rhead, but Elliott Whitehouse was unable to convert.Lincoln's Neal Eardley earned the first booking of the game for a late foul on Jake Taylor, while a dangerous ball by Boateng flew dangerously across the face of goal and could not be converted by a number of Exeter players.Ryan Allsop saved well to keep out a header from Exeter defender Jordan Storey in the 27th minute, but from the resulting corner, the ball found its way to Stockley who volleyed home his 25th goal of the season from an acute angle.Lincoln thought they had levelled in the 40th minute when Whitehouse lashed the ball in from close range, but the goal was disallowed for an apparent handball by Rhead, much to the anger of the visiting players.Exeter made it 2-0 just two minutes into the second half when Boateng picked the ball up on halfway and ran at the heart of the Lincoln defence. As the defenders backed off, he unleashed a superb left-footed curler from 25 yards that flew in off the inside of the post.Taylor fired a shot straight down the throat of Allsop as Exeter began to dominate, although Lincoln did fire a warning shot when Rhead shot goalwards, but his effort was superbly blocked by Storey.Lincoln were enjoying plenty of possession as Exeter sat back and looked to play on the counter, but the Imps were struggling to create chances.And then, in the 69th minute and from nothing, Harley let fly from 30 yards with an absolute screamer that flew past Allsop and into the net.Lincoln pulled a goal back in the 79th minute when Matt Green got in on the right and slipped the ball past Christy Pym from eight yards and they were appealing for a penalty moments later when Rhead went down inside the box, yet nothing was given.Despite the addition of seven minutes at the end, Exeter were able to see it out and book a second successive place in the Wembley showpiece.
    • 6Y
    • PA Sport

    Lincoln City

    SOCCER

      Lincoln and Exeter draw first leg of play-off semi-final

      Lincoln and Exeter could not be separated as they fought out a tense 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final.Matt Rhead went closest for the Imps at Sincil Bank, hitting the bar with a header early in the second half.That chance came amid Lincoln's best spell of the game which saw Matt Green denied twice by Exeter keeper Christy Pym.The Grecians' best chances fell to striker Jayden Stockley, who was denied by keeper Ryan Allsop and then blazed over just before the break.The result sets up an intriguing second leg in Devon on Thursday night.Just five points separated them at the end of the regular season so it was no surprise that there was little to choose between the sides.Both keepers were forced into routine saves in the first 20 minutes, with Pym holding an effort from Green, while Allsop got down low to save a drive from Ryan Harley.Pym was called into action again after 34 minutes to keep out a long-range free-kick from Neal Eardley before the Grecians wasted the best two chances of the half.They both fell in quick succession to Stockley. First, he failed to connect with a cross from Hiram Boateng. Then, barely a minute later, he blazed over after Lincoln failed to deal with a long ball out of defence.The Imps made a lively start to the second half, almost taking the lead within a minute of the restart when Green's angled drive was met by a superb one-handed save by Pym.Green was denied by Pym's legs after 49 minutes, with the rebound falling to Elliott Whitehouse, who had little time to react and, as a result, sent the ball over the bar.Following that bout of pressure, Exeter responded with a dangerous left-wing cross from Boateng being headed wide by Stockley.After 59 minutes, Lincoln went agonisingly close to taking the lead when Matt Wilson's wonderful cross was headed against the bar by Rhead.An open start to the second half continued when Allsop made a fine double save to deny Harley and then Jake Taylor.However, both sides became more cautious as the half progressed and there were few clear-cut openings in the final 20 minutes.
      • 6Y
      • PA Sport

      Lincoln City

      SOCCER

      Lincoln City

      SOCCER

      Lincoln City

      SOCCER

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      2023-24 EFL League One Ladder

      TeamGPWDLGDP
      Portsmouth4527135+3594
      Derby County4527810+3989
      Bolton Wanderers4525119+3586
      Peterborough United4525812+2883
      Barnsley45211212+1875
      Lincoln City45201411+2774
      Oxford United45211113+2274
      Blackpool45211014+1873
      Stevenage45181413+1068
      Wycombe Wanderers45161415+462
      Leyton Orient45171117-462
      Exeter City45171018-1461
      Wigan Athletic45191016+559
      Northampton Town4517820-959
      Bristol Rovers4516920-1457
      Charlton Athletic45112014053
      Reading45151119-350
      Shrewsbury Town4513923-3048
      Cambridge United45121122-2247
      Burton Albion45121023-2546
      Cheltenham Town4512825-2344
      Fleetwood Town4591323-2640
      Port Vale45101025-3340
      Carlisle United457929-3830

      2023-24 Team Leaders

      English League One

      Rankings

      English League One

      Goal Difference
      27
      5th
      Goals Scored
      65
      Tied-7th
      Assists
      38
      Tied-11th
      Goals Conceded
      38
      2nd