REPORT: Lincoln City 1, Peterborough United 1: The 10 men gained a decent point at the League One leaders

An own goal in the 10th minute gave Posh a lead they surrendered early in the second-half.

Nathan Thompson was sent off after conceding a second-half penalty for deliberate handball and collecting a second yellow card, but Jorge Grant struck the spot-kick high and wide.

And to be fair to the 10 men they played out the rest of the game strongly to seal a second successive away draw.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson recalled Sammie Szmodics and Thompson to the starting line-up, kept faith with inexperienced wing-backs Harrison Burrows and Idris Kanu, and put his trust in wantaway forward Siriki Dembele.

Lincoln were hit by positive Covid tests earlier in the week. Full-back Joe Walsh, striker Tom Hopper and former Posh winger Harry Anderson were all absent from an Imps matchday squad that included just six substitutes.

There was a strange start to the game with Lincoln playing surprisingly passively. They allowed Posh complete control of the ball and when it was lost the hosts gave it straight back again.

Szmodics looked bright in those opening stages as Posh won a succession of set-pieces, one of which led to the opening goal on 10 minutes.

A corner was half cleared, but returned into the danger area instantly where a home defender lost possession to Thompson. He stayed clam to find Clarke-Harris whose shot was cleared off the line by Adam Jackson only for it to strike TJ Eyoma and dribble over the line.

Thompson’s attempt to make it 2-0 from a Szmodics cut-back was thwarted by a defender before home side started to play on the front foot.

Lincoln’s away record suggests they are skilled at playing on the break and both Brennan Johnson and Remy Howarth raced clear of the Posh defence before blazing over the crossbar.

Anthony Scully then saw a fierce, swerving 30-yarder well tipped over the crossbar by Posh ‘keeper as Christy Pym. Lincoln began to win a series of free kicks, the most dangerous of which was sent wide of a post by Jorge Grant.

Posh were by now failing to keep possession against a team now prepared to press from the front, although a late breakaway saw a decent Clarke-Harris cross well intercepted by Liam Bridcutt before it could reach Szmodics.

If there was a half-time talk about not causing their own problems, the players didn’t listen. One wayward Reece Brown pass led to a corner that was hopelessly defended at the near post with the ball running loose for Anthony Scully to slam home at the far post four minutes after the break.

Clarke-Harris promptly headed over at the near post from a free kick before Dembele shot narrowly wide from 20 yards.

Another fast Lincoln break forced Pym into action just before the hour mark to save Johnson’s close range effort.

Lincoln looked the sharper more incisive side, particularly in transition.

But after Posh received that huge let off through Grant’s surprising penalty spot they performed solidly.

A triple substitution followed immediately and two more substitutions gave Posh the legs to see out their first game in 25 days successfully.

But inevitably the better chances kept falling to the home side helped by some bizarre decision-making from referee Will Finnie.

Substitute Dan Butler made a great block to deny Howarth and Johnson missed the ball completely from a right wing cross when unmarked.

Clarke-Harris felt he should have been awarded a penalty when his free kick clattered into a defensive wall, but referee Finnie was in no mood to do the visitors any favours.

Posh: Christy Pym, Nathan Thompson, Mark Beevers, Frankie Kent, Harrison Burrows (sub Dan Butler, 70 mins), Jack Taylor, Reece Brown (Sub Ryan Broom, 79 mins), Idris Kanu (sub Ethan Hamilton, 79 mins), Sammie Szmodics (sub Niall Mason, 70 mins), Siriki Dembele (sub Ricky-Jade Jones 70 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Unused subs: Dan Gyollai, Mo Eisa.

Lincoln City: Alex Pallmer, Lewis Montsoma, Adam Jackson, Tayo Edun, James Jones, Jorge Grant, Anthony Scully, Remy Howarth (sub Morgan Rogers, 55 mins), Brennan Johnson, TJ Eyoma, Liam Bridcutt

Unused subs: Sam Long, Max Melbourne, Robbie Gotts, Zack Elbouzedi, Sean Roughan.

Goals:

Posh - Eyoma (og, 10 mins).

Lincoln - Scully (49 mins).

Sending off: Thompson - (deliberate handball, second caution).

Cautions:

Posh - Thompson (foul), Brown (foul), Kent (foul).

Lincoln - Jackson (foul), Bridcutt (foul), Eyoma (foul), Jones (foul).

Referee: Will Finnie 5.