By Dale Hurman

A goal from Scott McGleish six minutes before half-time gave the Blues a deserved 1-0 win over Lincoln City at Adams Park this afternoon.

Paul Lambert made a couple of changes to the starting XI, Will Antwi coming in for the injured David McCracken whilst Sam Stockley replaced Tom Williams.

It was a very quiet opening twenty minutes with the visitors enjoying the greater of the possession.  Lee Frecklington had the only real effort on goal with a powerful drive from fully 30 yards which cleared Frank Fielding's crossbar.

The game changed on 27 minutes when the Imps Ollie Ryan inadvisedly lunged in on Will Antwi. It was ugly looking challenge and Referee Graham Salisbury thought it was worthy of a red card and the midfielder was sent off.

Blues boss Paul Lambert had sympathy for Ryan saying afterwards "I don't think it was sending off, he never went over the ball and it wasn't dangerous."

Within ninety seconds Martin Bullock smashed an angled volley against the crossbar from eight yards. It may well not have counted anyway as Sergio Torres was booked for a high challenge during the same attack.

Torres went close himself with a low shot that went just wide of Smith's right hand post. Imps striker Ben Wright had an opportunity just after the half hour mark but placed his shot wide of Fielding's post from 15 yards. 

The home side enjoyed far greater possession of the ball and made their numerical advantage tell with six minutes left of the first period.

A fabulous one-touch passing move between Russell Martin and Gary Holt saw the midfielder lay the ball on a plate for Scott McGleish to slide the ball into an empty net.

Russell Martin's low shot was comfortably saved by Ben Smith on the stroke of half-time and the Blues went in a goal ahead at the break.

Half-time: Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 Lincoln City

The home side started the second half in the ascendency. Martin Bullock's cross almost decieved Ben Smith in the Lincoln goal who tipped the ball over the bar.

There was almost an unlikely goalscorer in Sam Stockley, the left-back smashing his shot just past the post. On the hour mark Torres almost made it two, and it would have been all his own work. Some sublime footwork out on the edge of the box saw the young player-maker move into the area, where he beat two Lincoln defenders but with the goal at his mercy the Argentine maestro screwed his shot wide. 

Lincoln's only threat came from dead-balls, and with the home sides tendency to concede a few unnecessary free-kicks, Frank Fielding was called upon to deal with a couple of high balls.

Another penetrating run from Torres saw the ball played back to Oakes whose shot was charged down. Stockley has another attempt on goal, Smith making the save. 

Peter Jackson made a double substitution for the visitors with 20 minutes remaining, Jamie Hand and Lenell John-Lewis replacing Louis Dodds and Owain Warlow respectively. However it was that man Sergio again who smashed a fantastic shot from 25 yards against the foot of Smith's left-hand post with the goalkeeper beaten.

Oakes again saw his angled shot from the edge of the area blocked by a packed Lincoln defence and the play-maker then curled his free-kick low and inches wide of the near post.

With seven minutes to go Hamza Bencherif replaced Daniel Hone for the visitors whilst Paul Lambert brought on John Sutton for Scott McGleish and Andre Boucaud for Stefan Oakes. With just a couple of minutes remaining Scott Kerr ended up in the book after a sliding challenge on Bullock.

In the very last minute substitute Lenell John-Lewis missed a gilt-edged opportunity to equalise when he slid his shot from Bencherif's low cross wide of Fielding's left-hand post.

The home side had a number of opportunities in the second half to extend the lead but had to settle for a single goal victory and a very welcome three points.

Paul Lambert said afterward "We hit the post and made some decent efforts. Ten men will always be hard to play against and they will always make a chance."

"We took a risk and we I think we did ok today. We've won and that's the main thing. "

WYCOMBE WANDERERS
34. Frank FIELDING (GK)
4. Russell MARTIN
5. Will ANTWI
25. Sam STOCKLEY
20. Leon JOHNSON
8. Stefan OAKES (31. Andre BOUCAUD 87 mins)
10. Matt BLOOMFIELD
11. Martin BULLOCK
15. Gary HOLT
17. Scott McGLEISH (16. John SUTTON 83 mins)
22. Sergio TORRES

Substitutes not used:
18. Craig WOODMAN
32. Reuben REID
36. Rab DOUGLAS (GK)

Booked:
Torres 28 mins (dangerous play)

Goal:
McGleish 39 mins


LINCOLN CITY
28 Ben SMITH (GK)
2. Paul GREEN
3. Gary CROFT
4. Adie MOSES
7. Lee FRECKLINGTON
11. Scott KERR
15. Ben WRIGHT
18. Ollie RYAN
19. Louis DODDS (29. Lenell JOHN-LEWIS 69 mins)
20. Owain WARLOW (26. Jamie HAND 69 mins)
27. Daniel HONE (25. Hamza BENCHERIF 83 mins)

Substitutes not used:
1. Alan MARRIOTT (GK)
14. Ryan AMOO

Booked:
Kerr 86 mins (foul)

Sent-off:
Ryan 27 mins (foul)

Today's Officials:
Referee: Mr G SALISBURY
Assistant: Mr A DAVIES
Assistant: Mr E B MACKRELL
Fourth Official: Mr D J PHILLIPS

Attendance: 4,297 (288 away fans)