Match ends, Lincoln City 1, Dover Athletic 0.
Lincoln CityLincoln City1DoverDover Athletic0
Lincoln edged out Dover and secured a secure a seventh straight home win in the Conference.
The Imps' Nat Brown had a header cleared off the line from Sean Newton's cross in a first half of few chances.
The deadlock was broken early in the second period when Newton's deep cross dropped over Dover keeper Andy Rafferty for Ben Tomlinson to stab home.
After Connor Essam clipped the bar, Dover's Sean Raggett also struck the woodwork, but the hosts held on.
Lincoln move to within two points of the play-off places in ninth spot, with Dover in 12th.
Lincoln City player-coach David Preece told BBC Radio Lincolnshire:
"I don't think we'll have to work harder for the three points than we did today for the rest of the season.
"It was an absolutely brilliant performance and even before you start talking about that, if you think about Dover, they're a big strong side, they've got quality and you wouldn't want to play them every week.
"They've been on a long unbeaten run and that says everything about our performance today.
"It's exactly what we needed and I think over the past few months, every time we've had a setback the boys have come right back and given us the answers we've been looking for."
Line-ups
Lincoln City
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Farman
- 17Caprice
- 23Brown
- 3Newton
- 5Bencherif
- 20Adams
- 14Nolan
- 12Mendy
- 22Marshall
- 15Sam-Yorke
- 11Tomlinson
Substitutes
- 9Burrow
- 18Everington
- 19Simmons
- 25Waite
- 30Grant
Dover
Formation 4-4-2
- 30Rafferty
- 14PayneSubstituted forModesteat 76'minutes
- 6Orlu
- 5Raggett
- 3WynterSubstituted forPooleat 81'minutes
- 16Sterling
- 10Murphy
- 17DeverdicsBooked at 56mins
- 11Cogan
- 28Taiwo
- 29Essam
Substitutes
- 4Kinnear
- 7Modeste
- 19Reid
- 21Mekki
- 31Poole
- Referee:
- Ian Hussin
- Attendance:
- 2,509
Match Stats
Home TeamLincoln CityAway TeamDover
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home0
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Lincoln City 1, Dover Athletic 0.
Post update
Foul by Sean Raggett (Dover Athletic).
Post update
Charlee Adams (Lincoln City) wins a free kick.
Post update
Foul by James Poole (Dover Athletic).
Post update
Paul Farman (Lincoln City) wins a free kick.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Barry Cogan (Dover Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Nathaniel Brown (Lincoln City).
Post update
Tyrone Sterling (Dover Athletic) wins a free kick.
Post update
Foul by Jake Caprice (Lincoln City).
Post update
Sean Raggett (Dover Athletic) wins a free kick.
Post update
Corner, Dover Athletic.
Post update
Sean Raggett (Dover Athletic) hits the bar with a header from the right side of the six yard box. Assisted by Barry Cogan.
Post update
Corner, Dover Athletic.
Post update
Attempt missed. Tom Murphy (Dover Athletic) left footed shot from the right side of the box.
Post update
Attempt missed. Solomon Taiwo (Dover Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Post update
Richard Orlu (Dover Athletic) hits the bar with a header from the right side of the six yard box. Assisted by Nicky Deverdics.
Post update
Corner, Dover Athletic.
Post update
Attempt saved. Solomon Taiwo (Dover Athletic) header from the left side of the box is saved.
Substitution
Substitution, Dover Athletic. James Poole replaces Tom Wynter.
