Imps given big reality check by rampant Shrewsbury

Recent talk of the Playoffs has been blown out of the water as City were thrashed 5-1 at home by Shrewsbury Town. All the goals came in the first half as Shrewsbury tore apart the Lincoln defence and even a consolation from Ashley Grimes won't be viewed as much of a positive.

Both sides started the game brightly and both were brimming with confidence with both being on winning runs. Shrewsbury wasted to corners, but it wasn't long before they opened the scoring as Hunt ducked under a cross which allowed Jon Taylor to cut inside the defender before unleashing an unstoppable drive beyond Carson. However, City replied almost instantly as a Gavin McCallum cross was headed across goal by Grimes and into the City net.

Ainsworth had a shot cleared off of the line before putting in a cross a few minutes later, Mark Wright flicked it on and Julian Kelly scored an own goal to make it 2-1 for the visitors. Howell fired wide from range as the Imps looked for a quick response but it was the visitors who got the game's fourth goal. Hoyte half-heartedly cleared a ball straight at Ainsworth and the midfielder burst forward and slotted under Carson.

It wasn't long before it was 4-1 as Ainsworth again hit the net, this time half-volleying a cross into the net and he almost set a world record for the fastest hatrick as he hit the post just 90 seconds after his first goal. The game didn't quieten down but the Imps were out and they knew it. Shrewsbury continued to dominate the first half and it was 5-1 just before half time as Harrold played in Ainsworth and he applied the finish for a hatrick. Neither side managed anything else noteworthy in the first half.

Kanyuka replaced Hunt for the Imps and McIntyre came on for Shrewsbury. It was a slower paced second half with everyone in the ground knowing what the result was going to be. Hoyte was booked for a foul on Wroe before Ainsworth was denied a fourth by Carson.

Kanyuka cleared a corner before Spencer and Broughton replaced Grimes and Facey. In all fairness, neither side looked like scoring again in a second half and there were no worthy incidents. The game finished 5-1.