Imps maintain run after losing at Vale

Lincoln City's poor form continued with a third straight defeat. City had taken the lead at Port Vale and missed a few good chances before the Valiants produced a brilliant second half display to take all the points.

Vale got the game underway and started on the offensive as Haldane put in a dangerous cross, luckily Danny Hone was there to clear it up. City took the ball straight down the other end of the field and won a free kick after Loft fouled Kelly, the on loan defender took the set piece and after a bit of a scramble it fell to McCallum and he unleashed a first time left footed effort beyond Tomlinson and into the net. It was the perfect start for an Imps side who were hoping to make up for the 6-0 defeat to Rotherham on Friday night.

Ben Hutchinson headed two crosses wide, the first from Anderson and the second from Carayol before the hosts made a substitution, with Gareth Owen being replaced by Kris Taylor. Pope tested Parish from long range.

Carayol did well to beat three defenders with one movement but his ball into the box was cleared. Kelly forced Tomlinson into a save before Kilbey half-volleyed wide from 20 yards. Hutchinson fired a 35 yard free kickstraight at the keeper, he parried and it fell to Hone and the defender conspired to somehow miss the target from less than 6 yards. It would arguably be the game's turning point.

A Port Vale attack saw City clear the ball off of the line four times in a ten second spell to end the first half.

The second half started the way that most of the first half had gone with City on top and Collins was booked for a foul on Anderson as the hosts continued to get frustrated. Rob Taylor replaced Haldane for the hosts. Pope thought he had equalised as his header hit the inside of the post....but it failed to cross the line and bounced across goal and to safety. It wasn't long though until the game's second goal came about.

Kris Taylor picked up the ball on the hour mark and produced a cross that was met by the head of Marc Richards, it went through Parish and into the net to bring the hosts level.  Hutchinson went for treatment for a head before Gary Roberts came on for Morsy for the hosts.

City all of a sudden were struggling to mount any attacks and it wasn't long before Vale took the lead as Doug Loft cut inside Adam Watts before producing a curling effort beyond Parish to give the hosts the lead. Hone was lucky to stay on the pitch soon afterwards thanks to a horrendously mistimed challenge on Rob Taylor.

Lincoln finally showed some attacking intent as McCallum and Carayol both wasted chances before Cian Hughton made a rare appearance for the Imps as he replaced Kilbey. Kris Taylor was booked for a foul on Carayol before Griffith joined him in the book.

An O'Keefe header was saved in the dying minutes before Hone went off injured to end the game.