GINGERBREADS WIN LINCOLNSHIRE DERBY

Grantham Beat Lincoln United 2-1

Grantham came out 2-1 winners in this preseason game against Lincoln United. In a competitive game against in form United all three goals came in the final quarter of the game.
Lincoln began the stronger and Jack McGovern one of a number of ex Gingerbreads in the Lincoln side tested Jake Turner with an early free kick. Matt Cotton also went close before McGovern again had a chance but his shot was wide. Grantham came more into the game with Danny Durkin, Curtis Burrows and Grant Ryan all going close. Michael Hollingsworth replaced the injured Aiden Kirby on 22 minutes and Grantham continued to press for the opening goal. Durkin, Hollingsworth and Luke Shaw all saw shots go narrowly wide before another ex-Gingerbread Gary King had a chance for Lincoln but his shot was wide of the target.
Grantham introduced McGhee and Meadows for Shaw and Burrows at the start of the second half. Grantham had the best of the opening part of the half Durkin saw his shot blocked and McGhee saw his effort blocked by a defender on the near post before McGhee brought a good one handed save from Lincoln keeper McGann on 55 minutes. Grantham brought on Sam Hankin for Danny Durkin. The game looked destined for a goalless draw with both sides reduced to long shots before Grantham broke the deadlock on 75 minutes. Lewis Carr met a McGhee corner to head past McGann to put Grantham ahead. Lincoln almost equalised on 77 minutes when Sean Cann had a chance but his shot from 10 yards was at Turner and the Grantham keeper saved comfortably. Grantham doubled their lead on 78 minutes when from a wide position Danny Meadows spotted McGann off his line and sent a superb shot over the Lincoln keeper and into the far corner of the net. Lincoln pulled a goal back on 78 minutes when ex Gingerbread Gio Carchedi rolled back the years to thread through a pass to substitute Jack Wilkinson who took the ball on to fire past Turner. The game ended in torrential rain with Lincoln pushing for a second goal. Danny Brooks tried one of his trade mark free kicks from distance but Turner pushed aside his kick. Lincoln forced a couple of late corner but Grantham held firm to record a 2-1 win.
Grantham
J Turner, S Purcicoe, E Storey, L Carr, S Galinski, A Kirby, Luke Shaw, J Beckett, G Ryan, D Durkin, C Burrows.
Subs all used M Hollingsworth, S Hankin, D Meadows, J McGhee, and S Bilyk

Lincoln
P McGann, S Wright, L Hornsey, A Toyne, M Jacklin, J Blunden, B Fairclough, J McGovern, G King, S Mullarkey, M Cotton.
Subs all used D Brooks, C Ward, R Norris, G Carchedi, M Grifiths, J Wilkinson, and S Cann

Ref K Salmons