Jorge Grant’s 77th minute penalty saw Lincoln City to a 1-0 victory over 10-man Town at Sincil Bank and to the top of the table. League One top scorer Grant netted his sixth of the season from the spot after Toto Nsiala had upended Brennan Johnson, son of 1990s Blues frontman David. Late on, Jon Nolan was dismissed for a wild challenge on Harry Anderson, while Blues boss Paul Lambert was also red-carded after the whistle for remonstrating with the referee.

Jack Lankester was handed his first league start since January 2019 and Stephen Ward, Oli Hawkins and Teddy Bishop returned to the XI.

Lankester, who missed the best part of a season and a half after two stress fractures to his back, came in on the right of the front three with Alan Judge dropping out having complained of a hamstring problem earlier in the week.

Ward took over at left-back from Myles Kenlock, who dropped to the bench, having missed the last three League One matches with the achilles problem he suffered in the visit to the MK Dons.

Bishop replaces Emyr Huws in midfield with the Welshman among the subs, while Hawkins, who came on in the second half as the Blues lost 4-1 at Doncaster on Tuesday having missed the 2-0 victory over Accrington with a groin problem, replaced Freddie Sears, who was also on the bench. Town pair James Wilson and Nolan were facing their former club.

Lincoln made two changes from the team which beat Plymouth 2-0 at Sincil Bank on Tuesday with ex-Blues loanee Tayo Edun and Harry Anderson coming into the team for Sean Roughan and Tom Hopper.

Former Town striker David Johnson’s son Brennan, who is on loan from Nottingham Forest, started for the Imps as their lone central striker.

The home side should have taken the lead in the third minute from the game’s first chance. James Jones crossed low from the right and Grant blasted over at the far post when it looked easier to score.

Lincoln were an inch or two away from going in front again in the seventh minute when Andre Dozzell played a poor pass to Grant on the edge of the area from where the former Forest man hit a shot which flicked off Toto Nsiala and struck the bar. The Blues defender cleared the danger.

The Town goal had lived a charmed life in the opening minutes but on eight Edwards hit a low shot from 20 yards which had power but was too close to Alex Palmer in the Imps goal.

A minute later, Ward saw a strike deflected behind off Anderson as the Blues began to get a foothold in the game.

But Lincoln went close again in the 16th minute when Jones stood a cross up from the right - where the Imps were causing Town considerable problems - which looped just over Grant under pressure from Blues skipper Luke Chambers as he broke in at the far post.

On 19 Edwards blasted a 25-yard free-kick straight at the wall after Bishop had been felled by Liam Bridcutt.

Two minutes later, Jones shot well over for the Imps, who were continuing to look the most likely scorers of the first goal.

In the 27th minute, after the Blues had repeatedly failed to clear the danger following a corner, Anderson was played in on the right of the area but shot across the face of goal under pressure from Wilson.

Town went close for the first time two minutes later when Dozzell sent over a corner from the left, Hawkins met it with a powerful goal-bound header from beyond the far post but Conor McGrandles nodded off the line.

The Blues were starting to pass the ball around more confidently and beginning to get control of the game as the half-hour mark was crossed.

On 31 a poor defensive header dropped to Hawkins 30 yards out with the keeper off his line having come for the initial ball forward but the former Portsmouth man shot well over.

Two minutes before the scheduled break, Johnson was played in on goal by TJ Eyoma on the right of the box and hit a low shot which Holy’s toe sent the wrong side of the post.

The half-time whistle went as Lincoln prepared to take a corner after Holy had failed to deal with a difficult Wilson pass back to him.

Town could count themselves very fortunate not to be at least a goal down at the break with Lincoln having had four very decent chances to go in front.

Two of those came early on with the Blues starting slowly before getting on top possession-wise but without being able to create anything of note.

Lincoln continued to look the more dangerous side with Holy doing well to thwart Johnson shortly before half-time.

Grant hit a powerful low shot from 25 yards which Holy dealt with confidently two minutes after the restart.

Town should have taken the lead in the 55th minute when Lankester sent over a free-kick from the left - Ward having been fouled - and Edwards reached it at the near post but headed over from close range. The Welshman will have felt he should have been celebrating his sixth goal of the season.

More of the game was being played in the Lincoln half than before the break with the Blues in control.

Chances continued to be a rarity, however. On 67 Bishop brought the ball in from the right and hit a shot which deflected off a defender and hit Nolan in the groin.

In the 75th minute Lankester found Edwards breaking into the area on the left of the area with a superb pass, however, the Welshman was dispossessed as he sought to cut inside.

Two minutes later, the Imps went in front via a very soft penalty. Johnson got round the outside of Nsiala on the left and as the defender looked to outmuscle the striker the on-loan Forest man was sent to ground.

Referee Kevin Johnson pointed straight to the spot, despite lengthy Town arguments that it wasn’t a foul and also that there was a foul on Bishop in the build-up.

While it was definitely a harsh decision, Nsiala, who also conceded a penalty at Doncaster on Tuesday, had no need to lean into Johnson with the striker not really going anywhere by that point.

Grant took the spot-kick and hit his sixth goal of the season low to Holy’s right and into the net.

Keanan Bennetts replaced Lankester, who grew into his first league start in 21 months and can be pleased with his display.

Edwards sent a dangerous ball across the Lincoln area in the 82nd minute but with no one there to add the final touch as Town went looking for a leveller.

As the game moved into four minutes of injury time, McGrandles was booked for pulling back Bennetts as he broke forward.

Keeper Holy went forward for the free-kick and got a boot on a loose ball as Lincoln initially failed to clear but it bounced harmlessly through to his Imps counterpart Palmer, who hadn’t been forced into a save all afternoon.

Deep in injury time the Blues were reduced to 10 men when Nolan dived in and made a frustrated tackle on Anderson as he broke through the middle and referee Johnson immediately showed a straight red card. The midfielder will now miss the next three games.

Following the challenge, there was a brief confrontation between the players and Bishop and Edun were both yellow-carded.

After the whistle, the Town complaints continued and manager Lambert was shown a red card.

The Blues will feel they ought to have got something from having been on top on the second half.

A game of few chances always looked destined to be settled by one goal and while the Blues had a lot of the ball in the second half, they created very little.

Lincoln, who had plenty of chances before the break, threatened equally as rarely in the second but profited from some generous refereeing and a second injudicious challenge from Nsiala in two games. Up to that point, a 0-0 draw looked very much on the cards.

Town drop to fourth with Lincoln go top with the Blues at home to Gillingham on Tuesday and Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.

Lincoln: Palmer, Eyoma, Montsma, Walsh, Edun, Bridcutt, McGrandles, Jones, Anderson, Grant, Johnson (Hopper 84). Unused: Ross, Scully, Archibald, Soule, Gotts, Roughan.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Wilson, Ward, Dozzell, Nolan, Bishop, Lankester (Bennetts 80), Edwards, Hawkins. Unused: Cornell, McGuinness, Woolfenden, Kenlock, Huws, Sears. Referee: Kevin Johnson (Weston-super-Mare).

Photo: Action Images

warktheline added 22:11 - Oct 24 Come on folks let's cut @Bert some slack! As he so intelligently posted several weeks back, “where would we be without Evans”....eerrrr let my think🤔🤣😂...”he's saved the club from financial ruin starving off corona virus”! We were so lucky Evans crossed paths with our club, somebody in Norwich had a ‘crystal ball' or something similar 🙈 I'm sure of it! 🤣😂🤣

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LWNR2013 added 22:20 - Oct 24 One dodgy penalty!!! It's not the end of the world. Chill. Love Toto.
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shakytown added 23:27 - Oct 24 Sick of hearing this fool say how brilliant we were. Biggest load of rubbish iv'e ever heard. Time to take a walk or be fired Lambert because you just are not performing. Get George Burley in and at least get the players playing like a team and improving because you do not have a clue.
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RobsonWark added 01:06 - Oct 25 Someone take out Chambers because all the managers he's played under have been fired. It will be PL next out the door while Chambers snuggles up and puts his arm round the next manager. I've said it the past 2 or 3 seasons...we will NEVER get anywhere with him in the team!!
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aas1010 added 01:59 - Oct 25 Utter rubbish . Season over
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:22 - Oct 25 Our problem is the attack. Our defence is perfectly good enough for this division, whatever combination of four or five we choose from. All teams make the odd mistake. Sometimes, the ref loses the game for you. The midfield, as we know, has a surplus of players who can move the ball around quite nicely. But none of this helps when we get to the final third. There any danger we create peters out. Hawkins is never going to cut it stuck up there alone. We can maybe hope for better things when some of our injured players return, but I can't see anyone among them who is going to radically change the attack. At least, if Hawkins plays he must have someone beside him (Jackson? Norwood?). Maybe time for 4-4-2? PL must make changes. They don't have to be radical - I get the settled side argument - but those sitting on the sidelines are also part of the squad and deserve a chance, I wish I could solve the attack - but with the players we have available, and even with those to come back - I'm not sure I can.

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dirtydingusmagee added 07:27 - Oct 25 BERT is a typo i think, it should be BERK
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Saxonblue74 added 08:08 - Oct 25 Here's a little quiz for the TWTD regulars. Name 4 things more predictable than todays result.......
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Saxonblue74 added 08:10 - Oct 25 1: Lamberts post match interview 2: Bluearmy_81 being top 10 poster when we lose 3: Bettyblue, see Bluearmy_81. 4: Robsonwark having a poke at Chambo regardless of the level of his performances.
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juniorblue added 08:26 - Oct 25 This is a disappointing result. I had hoped for a better reaction after Tuesday. I watched the Doncaster game and saw positives (some good passing). However, we don't have a cutting edge and too many fall away when we concede. I think there needs to be a toughness which we don't seem to have. Passing around at the back is all well and good if it continues further up the pitch. Too often on Tuesday we were pegged back and it sounds like this is what happened against Lincoln. The next two games need to be much better if we are to avoid another slide down the table. PL needs to show more discipline and would do well to avoid so many "we are brilliant" comments.

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Michael101 added 08:56 - Oct 25 Betty blue,you have been consistent in you opinion of lambert(even if we win).but stop a moment and think it will not happen with Evans in charge,1,he gave p.l. a five year contract so I can't see him paying that 2,if he gets the tin tack who will be prepared to take the job ??.3,Evans record of appointments has been shocking(all of them have been norfolk and good).4,Lambert knows he is in the same position as McCarthy nobody else will want him so he's not going to leave.5,willingly be prepared to buy i.t.f.c. from him(no).So we are up to our elbows in the brown stuff and I don't think there's any way out.RIP Ipswich town.

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Michael101 added 09:01 - Oct 25 Will anybody buy us, point 6,it will soon be January so Evans might sell players .
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MickMillsTash added 09:25 - Oct 25 Our defence is not good enough to play the style of football that we have chosen to play. Nsiala is an accident waiting to happen and has been since he came here. The midfield looks nice but needs someone up front to pass to and play off We have 4 of our best players out injured - Norwood, Jackson, Downes, KVY I have not seen much evidence that Lambert can inspire the players or arrange a team that can go up. My summary - I think with everyone fit there is an 11 that can finish in the top 4 but not with Lambert in charge

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Bluearmy_81 added 09:31 - Oct 25 Walk the line.. "Where would we be without Evans" is Monty Python stuff, it would be hilarious if it wasn't so tragic.
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Dockerblue added 11:41 - Oct 25 Get Eddie Howe in before someone like Barnsley snap him up! Just a thought, four of the managers Evans has appointed have got promotion from the championship so no prizes for guessing where the problem is. The reason we can,t beat a top 6 team is Lambert cannot motivate the team, we,ve lost before kick-off.
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Linkboy13 added 12:00 - Oct 25 A few seasons back when we were in the championship dreaming of the premier league, i kept thinking there's more chance of us going down then getting promoted, im starting to think that now. Every season we sell our best players so every season the team gets weaker. In my opinion we've got 3 good players at the club, Downes, Wolfenden and KVY, you might as well sell the rest.

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BeattiesBackPocket added 12:30 - Oct 25 Please rabbit or any of the others who refuse to blame Evans for where we are tell me how yet another manager is going to make any difference? Every manager Keane, Jewell, McCarthy and lambert most the managers we've had have been at the end of their club managerial careers and as well as McCarthy did with what he had he hasn't had any other club run after his services since he left and the fact McCarthy ‘had to make do' shows the lack of investment, foresight or enthusiasm we have had from the owner since day one! Slow decline ever since he's come here. Who out of rabbit or anyone else supporting Evans still ever thought that with the 6th richest owner outside the premier league We would end up average team in league one I never did that's why I kept buying season tickets until this year. His supporters go on about the manager but again that's the best we can and will get or more importantly PAY FOR! There are some good managers looking for their next job but we'll never pay the wage or have the ambition for those managers!! One man is responsible and please one of you tell me how he isn't?

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BeattiesBackPocket added 12:33 - Oct 25 We've struggled against any side that'll be in or around the top six since beating Fleetwood away last season we've yet despite lamberts claim to have two decent halves of football for as long as I can remember even this season and last when we were top we struggled against sides we should be beating then losing to top six sides without beating the likes of Peterborough, hull, Sunderland and lincoln etc we will continue to finish mid table and go on to our next manager coming towards the end of his career again

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ChrisR added 12:37 - Oct 25 Here we go again . The teams Town claimed points off so far are currently sitting 23rd, 18th, 17th, 15th, 11th and 10th. The teams they have lost to are 1st and 7th. Sounds familiar !!!
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BeattiesBackPocket added 12:50 - Oct 25 @Saxonblue74 with reference your previous post I'll carry that one for you of things more predictable than yesterday's result: 1. People like yourself continuing to support Evans even though under his Leadership we've hired and fired many experienced managers all for the most Ipswich being their last club managerial post, we've dropped from being a team challenging under magilton to league one mediocrity. 2. Evans fans repeated defensive comments when Evans is criticised ‘He saved us, name someone else' He didn't save us we were out of administration before he came along and challenging in the top half of the championship even after selling most our best players and also we won't know who else could or would buy the club without it being put up for sale 3. Evans supporters saying ‘Without Evans putting money in we'd go bust' Well he's managed to multiply our debt even after bringing in over 60 million in player sales in his time, maybe selling players like Webster for 5 mill when a season later he goes for 25 million, Waghorn, Garner and McGoldrick all sold or let go same pre season accounting for around 40 odd goals that season fro a cumulative 6 million and you guys really wonder why we are in debt!

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Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 13:39 - Oct 25 Nsiala tries...but he is reckless and, actually worse to me he simply lumps the ball up almost every time he has the ball - most of these balls go straight to the opposition. So frustrating. Holy. So poor with his feet skills. When the balls at his feet, I'm always very nervous. His passing may be less accurate than Nsiala's. He's got a boot on him, but most of the time straight out of bounds.

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Saxonblue74 added 14:17 - Oct 25 BBP, please don't mistake me for an Evans apologist. There are many reasons why we are where we are, Evans undoubtedly having contributed in some way. I just get a little exasperated by the same old comments time after time after time with no ideas or opinions on how things need to change. There is no buyer, and Evans is keeping us solvent. They are the facts.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:21 - Oct 25 Saxonblue and that comment is exactly why things will never change. We were solvent before he came with only a 30 million debt it's now 90 million explain how well he's done for us and try one of you explain the arguement to the cases and pony's I've made? Who says there's no one wants to buy the club unless it's been put up for sale we'll never know!?? That's your problem you're happy where we are clearly I'm not broken promises for 15 seasons he's the main reason he makes ALL the decisions managers etc who else's fault is it?? Don't just keep saying there's no buyers who else etc as your answer to everything you don't know!? Answer some of the pints I've made problem is most of you can't and that's a fact

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londontractorboy57 added 15:21 - Oct 25 Timmy H just stating facts we were in a better position with MM, dont realy care anymore about our current day predicament, after 45 years i didnt renew enjoying local football.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:22 - Oct 25 Saxonblue who has also made the debt the way it is3 fold??
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