Lincoln City

    • 1st in English League One

    Lincoln City

    SOCCER

      Exeter City 3-1 Lincoln City

      Exeter booked their place in the League Two play-off final with a 3-1 victory over Lincoln at St James Park.Goals from Jayden Stockley, Hiram Boateng and Ryan Harley ensured the Grecians will play either Notts County or Coventry at Wembley on May 28.Exeter had the first effort at goal after a tense start when a long ball forward was knocked down by Stockley, only for Harley to get his volley all wrong and the ball drift harmlessly wide of goal.The midfielder tried his luck again moments later, but drilled a shot wide of goal from distance, while Robbie Simpson missed a great chance from close range after a good build-up involving the outstanding Boateng and Stockley.Lincoln's first chance came in the 15th minute when a long ball was headed down by Matt Rhead, but Elliott Whitehouse was unable to convert.Lincoln's Neal Eardley earned the first booking of the game for a late foul on Jake Taylor, while a dangerous ball by Boateng flew dangerously across the face of goal and could not be converted by a number of Exeter players.Ryan Allsop saved well to keep out a header from Exeter defender Jordan Storey in the 27th minute, but from the resulting corner, the ball found its way to Stockley who volleyed home his 25th goal of the season from an acute angle.Lincoln thought they had levelled in the 40th minute when Whitehouse lashed the ball in from close range, but the goal was disallowed for an apparent handball by Rhead, much to the anger of the visiting players.Exeter made it 2-0 just two minutes into the second half when Boateng picked the ball up on halfway and ran at the heart of the Lincoln defence. As the defenders backed off, he unleashed a superb left-footed curler from 25 yards that flew in off the inside of the post.Taylor fired a shot straight down the throat of Allsop as Exeter began to dominate, although Lincoln did fire a warning shot when Rhead shot goalwards, but his effort was superbly blocked by Storey.Lincoln were enjoying plenty of possession as Exeter sat back and looked to play on the counter, but the Imps were struggling to create chances.And then, in the 69th minute and from nothing, Harley let fly from 30 yards with an absolute screamer that flew past Allsop and into the net.Lincoln pulled a goal back in the 79th minute when Matt Green got in on the right and slipped the ball past Christy Pym from eight yards and they were appealing for a penalty moments later when Rhead went down inside the box, yet nothing was given.Despite the addition of seven minutes at the end, Exeter were able to see it out and book a second successive place in the Wembley showpiece.
      • 8Y
      • PA Sport

      Lincoln City

      SOCCER

        Lincoln and Exeter draw first leg of play-off semi-final

        Lincoln and Exeter could not be separated as they fought out a tense 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final.Matt Rhead went closest for the Imps at Sincil Bank, hitting the bar with a header early in the second half.That chance came amid Lincoln's best spell of the game which saw Matt Green denied twice by Exeter keeper Christy Pym.The Grecians' best chances fell to striker Jayden Stockley, who was denied by keeper Ryan Allsop and then blazed over just before the break.The result sets up an intriguing second leg in Devon on Thursday night.Just five points separated them at the end of the regular season so it was no surprise that there was little to choose between the sides.Both keepers were forced into routine saves in the first 20 minutes, with Pym holding an effort from Green, while Allsop got down low to save a drive from Ryan Harley.Pym was called into action again after 34 minutes to keep out a long-range free-kick from Neal Eardley before the Grecians wasted the best two chances of the half.They both fell in quick succession to Stockley. First, he failed to connect with a cross from Hiram Boateng. Then, barely a minute later, he blazed over after Lincoln failed to deal with a long ball out of defence.The Imps made a lively start to the second half, almost taking the lead within a minute of the restart when Green's angled drive was met by a superb one-handed save by Pym.Green was denied by Pym's legs after 49 minutes, with the rebound falling to Elliott Whitehouse, who had little time to react and, as a result, sent the ball over the bar.Following that bout of pressure, Exeter responded with a dangerous left-wing cross from Boateng being headed wide by Stockley.After 59 minutes, Lincoln went agonisingly close to taking the lead when Matt Wilson's wonderful cross was headed against the bar by Rhead.An open start to the second half continued when Allsop made a fine double save to deny Harley and then Jake Taylor.However, both sides became more cautious as the half progressed and there were few clear-cut openings in the final 20 minutes.
        • 8Y
        • PA Sport
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        2025-26 EFL League One Standings

        TeamGPWDLGDP
        Lincoln City4631105+48103
        Cardiff City4627109+4091
        Stockport County46221113+1377
        Bradford City46221113+777
        Bolton Wanderers4619189+1875
        Stevenage46211213+375
        Luton Town46211114+1274
        Plymouth Argyle4622717+1273
        Huddersfield Town46181315+1067
        Mansfield Town46161713+1265
        Wycombe Wanderers46171217+1163
        Reading46161515+463
        Blackpool4617920-1160
        Doncaster Rovers4617920-1960
        Barnsley46151417-559
        Wigan Athletic46141418-956
        Burton Albion46131518-1054
        Peterborough United4615823-453
        AFC Wimbledon4615823-2153
        Leyton Orient46141022-1252
        Exeter City46121321-949
        Port Vale46101224-2542
        Rotherham United46101125-3041
        Northampton Town469829-3535

        2025-26 Team Leaders

        English League One

        7

        Recco Hackett-FairchildM #7

        11
        Matches41
        Assists7
        10

        Jack MoylanM #10

        11
        Matches31
        Assists6
        17

        Robert StreetF #17

        10
        Matches45
        Assists4

        Rankings

        English League One

        Goal Difference
        48
        1st
        Goals Scored
        89
        2nd
        Assists
        57
        Tied-2nd
        Goals Conceded
        41
        1st
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