Lincoln 1-2 Halifax

Two goals in two minutes from Craig Midgley and Paul Harsley gave Halifax a deserved win against Lincoln at Sincil Bank.

In a bright opening period, the Shaymen controlled matters but it was not until the 37th minute that they broke the deadlock when Lincoln goalkeeper Alan Marriott fumbled the ball and Midgley hammered it into the empty net.

Two minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead when Harsley drilled home a 25-yard free-kick.

Lincoln responded and pulled a goal back just before half-time when Halifax goalkeeper Lee Butler failed to hold a powerful shot from striker Tony Battersby.

With the defence stranded, Lee Thorpe gathered the loose ball and chipped it calmly into the net.

After the interval, Lincoln pressed and produced some neat football as they searched for an equaliser.

And with time running out, they were unlucky not to find it when Thorpe saw his acrobatic overhead kick fall straight into Butler's hands.

Lincoln City: Marriott, Barnett, Morgan, Holmes, Bimson, Black, Finnigan, Sedgemore, Gain, Battersby, Thorpe. Subs: Pettinger, Cameron, Brown, Walker, Buckley.

Halifax: Butler, Harsley, Woodward, Chris Clarke, Jules, Redfearn, Stoneman, Swales, Kerrigan, Wood, Midgley. Subs: Mawson, Mitchell, Middleton, Jones, Wright.

Referee: A Butler (Sutton-in-Ashfield)