Shrewsbury: Glynn Garner, Darren Moss, Stewart Drummond, Darren Kempson, Marc Pugh, Kelvin Langmead, Dave Hibbert, Ben Herd, Danny Hall, Andy Cooke, Colin Murdock

Substitutes: Michael Symes, Chris Humphrey, Steven Leslie, Fola Onibuje, Chris Mackenzie

Lincoln City: Alan Marriott, Paul Green, Nat Brown, Phil t, Gary Croft, Louis Dodds, Lee Frecklington, Scott Kerr, Ryan Amoo, Jamie Forrester, Steve Torpey

Substitutes: Adie Moses, Mark Stallard, Dany N'Guessan, Ollie Ryn, Owain Warlow

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex)
Assistant Referees: Matt Foley and John Pearce
Fourth Official: Stephen Cooke

The match had a bright feel about it in the opening 15-minutes with both sides passing the ball around well in the bright sunshine. Town were making the better use of the ball, playing some excellent one touch football to stretch the home side.

Town were getting the ball into some great positions around the goal with Pugh and Herd working well down the flanks, there were half chances for Hibbert, Pugh, Cooke and Hall but the Imps defence was holding strong.

The home side did look dangerous on the break and with one move they managed to move the ball well to find space for Jamie Forrester, he had a good sight at goal and drilled a vicious low drive but Langmead did well to throw himself in the way to block.

Town had a great chance to take the lead just after the quarter hour mark when Murdock calmly came out of defence, he was on the left of the field and then played a great ball to find Herbert in between the Imps defence, he brought the ball down with his chest but it just over ran a little and this allowed Marriott to come out quickly and get down to block Hibbert's shot.

The home side were making a lot of unforced errors and this was credit to the hard work being done by the Town side. As with all of Gary Peters sides the work rate was there with every player harrying and working to give Lincoln no time on the ball.

Lincoln had their best chance of the half 5-minutes before the break after Forrester did well to hold up the ball and then keep possession before pushing play to Gary Croft on the left, he managed to turn Herd inside and then curl an in swinging shot across the face of goal that Steve Torpey just failed to get a touch on but Garner still had to be alert to palm the ball round the far post.

It was the home side who were finishing the half the stronger and when a corner came across Nat Brown seemed to be climbing but no foul was given and his header went to Forrester, he had his back to goal but got a good overhead kick in which went to the back post but Murdock was alert to head the ball behind and away from danger.

Town nearly snatched the lead right at the death after another intelligent ball out of defence from Murdock was played cross field to Herd, he rose well to win the header and the ball dropped, Pugh was quickest off the mark and did well to win possession, he then cut the ball back to Cooke who got a good low drive in but the ball hit Hibbert and flew wide of the post.

Half-time: 0-0

The half started with chances for both sides, first Lincoln went close after a free-kick from the right hand side eventually saw Andy Cooke clear off the line.Then moments later Town had a couple of good chances the first a great strike from Drummond brought a smart save from Marriott and then Andy Cooke got in behind the Imps defence to go in one-on-one with Marriott but the Imps keeper stayed strong to pull off another good save.

Town grabbed the lead with 10-minutes of the half when a period of pressure saw the ball with Moss, he got a cross in which Brown failed to deal with and the ball bounced to Andy Cooke at the backpost who stabbed the ball home to make it 1-0 to Town.

Minutes later Town were 2-0 up after another slip in the Imps defence, the ball was played high towards the Lincoln box for Hibbert, he rose well to challenge with Phil Watt but the Imps defender misjudged the ball and this allowed Hibbert a clear run at goal, he kept his cool and calmly curled the ball round Marriott from just inside the box.

There were still chances falling for both sides first an intelligent chip from outside the box from Frecklington had Garner back peddling to collect, and then Town broke down field with the ball going to Cooke on the left, he cut inside and then flashed a great shot across the Imps goal that beat Marriott but also the far post.

Lincoln weren't taking it lying down and were doing all they could to get back into the game, another good move saw the ball come to Stallard on the edge of the box, he curled in a first time shot that looked to be in but it flashed wide of the far upright.

With just over quarter of an hour remaining Gary Peters made his first switch of the afternoon taking off Dave Hibbert and replacing him with Steve Leslie.

Lincoln were still pushing and looking to get on the scoresheet with Stallard, Frecklington and Forrester all having decent efforts but they could find find a way past Garner and the Town defence.

Then Town got two excellent goals in quick succession, the first after some great unselfish work down the right by Pugh saw him cut the ball back across the face of goal to find Andy Cooke who kept his composure to slot the ball home.Then moments later Town were 4-0 up following another great break down the right, this time with Ben Herd who got an excellent cross into the box and there was substitute Steven Leslie to head home his first Town senior goal.

Gary Peters made his final substitutions with Andy Cooke and Marc Pugh making way to allow Michael Symes and Chris Humphrey to join the action.

Town were continuing to push and they nearly got a fifth goal after good work between Symes and Leslie saw Leslie burst into the box, he cut the ball back onto his right to lose his marker and then cut the ball back to find Symes, he drilled in a low drive but Marriott and an Imps defender managed to keep the ball out.

Town should have had a penalty in the 4-minutes of injury time after Ben Herd had got in behind the Imps defence, he cut towards goal and was clearly clipped from behind but ref Graham was having none of it and waved play on.

Full-time: 4-0

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