Lincoln 2, Harriers 0

HARRIERS suffered more travel sickness as they were shot down by Imps top-scorer Ben Tomlinson at Sincil Bank.

A goal in each half was enough to sink the Carpetmen, who now have not won away from Aggborough in eight Skrill Premier matches.

Defeat also saw Kidderminster miss a chance to close the gap on the teams in the top five.

Harriers boss Andy Thorn made several changes from the side which lost at Gateshead a fortnight ago.

Regular first choice keeper Danny Lewis was regulated to the bench after coming down with a virus, which saw Nathan Vaughan handed his first chance to impress Thorn between the posts.

Chey Dunkley made his first start since his sending off at Luton at the start of January, while new signing Josh O'Keefe make his first start since joining from Hereford.

Lincoln boss Gary Simspon thrust Birmingham City loan keeper Nick Townsend into action for his debut because of a knee injury to Paul Farman.

The visitors had made a bright start to the first half but suffered a setback nine minutes into the match when top-scorer Michael Gash went off with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Amari Morgan-Smith.

The Imps started to impose themselves on the away side and Vaughan was called into action in the 14th minute, denying Jake Sheridan from six yards after a goal-mouth scramble.

Winger Marvin Johnson was looked to build on his goal at Gateshead and fired in a low 20-yard effort which was easy for Townsend.

But Harriers fell behind in the 19th minute.

The impressive Delano Sam-Yorke pounced on an error by Callum Gittings and raced down the right wing.

He skipped past Dunkley, who went to ground, and delivered a dangerously low ball, which Imps top scorer Ben Tomlinson slotted home at the far post.

But Morgan-Smith was denied a leveller by the woodwork, meeting Kyle Storer's corner with a powerful header which crashed off the bar.

Harriers skipper Storer prevented a second Lincoln goal in the 29th minute, bravely blocking Tomlinson's shot after another pacey attack by Sam-Yorke.

Former City defender Josh Gowling then headed just over the bar from a Storer free-kick.

Morgan-Smith tested Townsend's alertness in the 40th minute, racing into the box to collect Jack Byrne's flick and squeeze in a shot from a tight angle but the inexperienced shot-stopped to block it win his legs.

Harriers were pushing for a goal in the final minutes of the first half and Johnson saw another tame effort fail to test Townsend.

But the away side had to be wary of the pace of Sam-Yorke but Dunkley impressively extinguished a 44th minute raid by shepherding the powerhouse wide.

Dunkley thought he had levelled the scores three minutes into the second period  when he rose to meet Mickey Demetriou's throw in but Townsend tipped over the defender's header.

Tempers flared in the 55th minute when Kidderminster right back Lee Vaughan pushed over Lincoln assistant boss Grant Brown after trying to take a quick throw in by the home team's technical area.

The Harriers defender escaped with a yellow card, much to the annoyance of the home fans.

Minutes later, Lee Vaughan was fouled by Todd Jordan but to both team's credit, tempers did not boil over.

The visitors were definitely seeing more of the ball but were unable to create many chances.

Substitute Santiago Aloi went for glory but he put a difficult chance well wide.

But they found themselves 2-0 down in the 78th minute when Tomlinson produced a smart finish after being set up by Sam-Yorke.

Kidderminster pushed for lifeline in the final ten minutes but did not test City's keeper.  Storer had a 25-yard effort fly wide in the 87th minute.

But that was all the away team had to offer as another chance to make ground on the teams in the play-off spots went begging.

Harriers: N Vaughan, L Vaughan, Demetriou, Gowling, Dunkley, Storer, Byrne (Aloi, 70), Gittings (Ladapo, 58), O'Keefe, Gash (Morgan-Smith, 9), Johnson.

Subs not used: Grimes, Lewis.  Lincoln: Townsend, Miller, Brown, Audel, Newton, Jordan, Adams, Power, Sheridan, Tomlinson, Sam-Yorke.

Subs not used: Rowe, Gray, Robinson, Nolan, Preece.  Referee: Ben Toner.

Attendance: 2012 (145)