Morecambe six points from safety after defeat at Imps

Goals in either half from Max Sanders and Ben House gave the home side an advantage, before Jensen Weir pulled one back to set up a late rally which saw Derek Adams' side come close to a leveller.

Adams made one change to the side that drew against Portsmouth with Jake Taylor making a return from injury in place of Ryan Delaney who dropped to the bench.

The Shrimps started well with an early chance for Kieran Phillips to run on goal but he took one touch too many and the chance went begging, as defender Joe Walsh was able to put in a block.

Lincoln, who started the day unbeaten at home, then looked to enjoy a greater share of the possession and forged their first opening moments later.

Weir lost possession just outside his own box and Charles Vernam almost made him play with a shot that took a wicked deflection to force Connor Ripley into an excellent tip over.

The Imps went close again minutes later when Jamies Robson's left-wing cross found Jack Diamond but the on-loan Sunderland man could only turn the ball over.

Lincoln did take the lead on 19 minutes with a huge slice of luck. Mark Kennedy's side won a free-kick on the edge of the box and Sanders saw his shot hit a Morecambe defender which diverted the ball past the helpless Ripley.

It was the first moment of bad luck for the Shrimps but there was more to follow as they hit the post for the first on the half hour.

Weir and Caleb Watts worked an opening with a clever corner routine with the final cross finding Kieran Phillips who hit his final effort against the foot of the Lincoln post.

Morecambe continued to look the more livelier side at the start of the second half and had chances to equalise as Phillips’ angled shot towards the near post was blocked by Walsh, before Weir produced a good effort from distance that drew a decent save from Carl Rushworth.

Phillips then headed straight at Rushworth from close range after good work from Adam Mayor as the Shrimps searched for a leveller.

The comeback hopes were dealt a blow however on 68 minutes when Lincoln added a second with their only attack of note in the second half. Substitute Tashan Oakley-Boothe stabbed a left-footed shot goalwards, which was parried away by Ripley into the path of House, who was perfectly placed to tap the ball into the empty net.

Morecambe's bad luck continued when Cole Stockton, who came on for Caleb Watts at half-time, was denied what would have been a stunning first goal of the campaign by the woodwork.

After picking up the ball around 40 yards out following a defensive mix-up by Lincoln. Stockton spotted Rushworth off his line, only to see his effort hit the post and bounce clear.

Morecambe did finally get one back in the 81st minute with another excellent Weir strike as he latched on to a defensive clearance on the edge of the box and directed a left foot volley into the bottom left hand corner.

The goal set up a frantic finale with the Shrimps dominating the final stages.

One final chance came in the second minute of injury time as a ball fell for Weir again but this time he flashed a right foot shot well wide of the target.

Lincoln City: Rushworth, Poole, Sanders, Vernam (Oakley-Boothe 63), O'Connor, Walsh, Robson (Roughan 86), House (Hopper 86), Eyoma, Virtue, Diamond. Subs (not used): Wright, Hopper, Sorensen, Roughan, Davenport, Ahui.

Bookings: Robson

Morecambe: Ripley, Love, Taylor (Gnahoua 65), Weir, Bedeau, Watts (Stockton 45), Shaw, Cooney (Melbourne, 81), O'Connor, Phillips, Mayor. Subs (not used): Smith, Rawson, Delaney, Fane.

Bookings: Weir

Attendance: 8,325