Match ends, Accrington Stanley 1, Lincoln City 0.
AccringtonAccrington Stanley1Lincoln CityLincoln City0
Accrington Stanley sealed the League Two title with a 1-0 win over play-off contenders Lincoln in front of the biggest crowd ever at the Wham Stadium of 4,753.
Jordan Clark scrambled home the winner in the 35th minute - his ninth goal of the campaign - as Stanley maintained their six-point gap over second-placed Luton with one game remaining.
The Reds even missed a penalty with the usually-reliable Billy Kee - who, with 26 goals is the League Two's top scorer - seeing his spot kick saved.
It was a lively game despite limited goalmouth action in the opening half an hour.
The Reds then enjoyed a spell of pressure and they made one count with a Sean McConville cross being scrambled home by Clark for the opener.
Stanley should have made it two when they were awarded a penalty on 45 minutes. Seamus Conneely was fouled in the area by Michael Bostwick but Ryan Allsop dived the right way to deny Kee.
Lincoln came out fighting in the second half but Stanley always looked a threat, Kayden Jackson forcing another fine save out of Allsop.
A Luke Waterfall diving header was wide for the Imps, Matt Green saw a goal-bound effort deflected over while Clark cleared a ball off the line, as Lincoln couldn't find the equaliser.
Stanley have not been beaten at the Wham Stadium in 2018 in 12 games, with 11 wins in that tally.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Accrington
Formation 4-4-2
- 1ChapmanBooked at 81mins
- 26Johnson
- 3Hughes
- 2DunneBooked at 68mins
- 4Donacien
- 7Clark
- 28Conneely
- 8Brown
- 11McConvilleBooked at 45mins
- 10Jackson
- 29Kee
Substitutes
- 5Richards-Everton
- 6Nolan
- 9Zanzala
- 12Williams
- 16Maxted
- 17Esteves Sousa
- 32Rodgers
Lincoln City
Formation 4-3-3
- 22Allsop
- 23Eardley
- 5Waterfall
- 15WilsonBooked at 33mins
- 6S Wharton
- 30WoodyardSubstituted forPettat 76'minutes
- 16Bostwick
- 19FrecklingtonSubstituted forWhitehouseat 72'minutes
- 8PalmerSubstituted forAndersonat 60'minutes
- 9Rhead
- 10GreenBooked at 20mins
Substitutes
- 1Farman
- 2Long
- 4Whitehouse
- 7Pett
- 14Williams
- 26Anderson
- 32Stewart
- Referee:
- Michael Salisbury
- Attendance:
- 4,753
Match Stats
Home TeamAccringtonAway TeamLincoln City
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away15
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Accrington Stanley 1, Lincoln City 0.
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Post update
Attempt missed. Michael Bostwick (Lincoln City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Attempt blocked. Matt Green (Lincoln City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Tom Pett (Lincoln City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Kayden Jackson (Accrington Stanley).
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Foul by Elliott Whitehouse (Lincoln City).
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Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Matt Green (Lincoln City).
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Jimmy Dunne (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Lincoln City. Conceded by Jimmy Dunne.
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Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Luke Waterfall.
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Foul by Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley).
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Elliott Whitehouse (Lincoln City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Booking
Aaron Chapman (Accrington Stanley) is shown the yellow card.
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Attempt missed. Luke Waterfall (Lincoln City) header from very close range is just a bit too high.
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Foul by Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley).
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Elliott Whitehouse (Lincoln City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Mark Hughes (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Post update
Foul by Matt Rhead (Lincoln City).
