MATCH REPORT: PICKERING TOWN FC 3 - 4 LINCOLN UNITED FC

After last Saturday's postponed fixture away at Stocksbridge Park Steels, United were back on the road against lowly Pickering Town. Pickering, before the match, occupied a place in the bottom three positions of the league, whilst United were looking to make it seven points from a possible nine.

Wilkinson handed out two debuts to new signings, Ben Richards and Dec O'Hare, which in turn pushed Matt Cotton further up the pitch. United started the game well and looked like scoring every time they got the ball forward, Cotton and Janssen both having big chances in the opening 10 minutes. 'The Whites' didn't have to wait long as Cotton fired past the keeper on the angle after 13 minutes.

Pickering Town 0 - 1 #TheWhites

The home-side didn't take the goal against them lying down and for the remainder of the first-half, Pickering had the better chances. Clayton Wilkinson made two fantastic goal saving blocks in his own area, whilst Goff and the bar also came to United's rescue. However, on 34 minutes, Billy Logan cut through United's defence before coolly slotting the ball past Goff in United's goal.

Pickering Town 1 - 1 #TheWhites

Pickering pressed continued to work the ball well through their midfield three, creating good chances which they couldn't take, both sides heading into the break level.

Pickering Town FC 1 - 1 Lincoln United FC (HT)

United came out fast in the second half and looked much more assertive, it didn't take long for Cotton to get his second and best goal of the game. Janssen's through ball found United's skipper and his sumptuous lob from 20-yards had Overton scrambling, the ball deftly dropping in over the line, giving United a well deserved 1-2 lead.

Pickering Town 1 - 2 #TheWhites

It took Pickering all of nine minutes to equalise. A deep, lofted free-kick was put into United's box and Ben Clappison rose highest to head the ball in the net from 12-yards.

Pickering Town 2 - 2 #TheWhites

For the third game running United's young forward, Andy Janssen, had something to say about the scoreline. O'Hare and Wightwick worked the ball well down the left, finding Janssen on the edge of the box whose perseverance saw him drive through three Pickering defenders and drill the ball back across Overton, into the bottom corner, only four minutes after the home-side had levelled.

Pickering Town 2 - 3 #TheWhites

United weren't done and Cotton grabbed his hat-trick two minutes later. Good pressing from the forward saw him pinch the ball of Pickering's back-line, before rounding the keeper and finishing expertly into an empty net from a tight angle.

Pickering Town 2 - 4 #TheWhites

United could have sealed the victory through Cotton, Wightwick and O'Hare, whose one-on-one chance was curled over the bar. Pickering were determined to make United pay for missed chances as Clappison got his second of the match with three minutes of normal time to go. A corner into United's box wasn't defended and the centre-back bundled the ball in at the back-post.

Pickering Town 3 - 4 #TheWhites

The drama wasn't over, Pickering substitute, Alhassane Keita, drove a shot on the angle past United's far post, whilst Goff was also to the rescue low-down at the near post, using his feet to divert the ball away.

As time ticked on, United were reduced to 10-men when Clayton Wilkinson's follow through was deemed dangerous, the young right-back receiving a straight red card. 'The Whites' defended the free-kick but from the resulting corner, Pickering had the ball in the goal through their goalkeeper, Overton. Although, thankfully for United, the referee disallowed the goal as the shot-stopper had been deemed to punch the ball into the net.

That was the last of the action, United holding on for three big points away from home.

Pickering Town FC 3 - 4 Lincoln United FC (FT)