A PROMISING START.

VISITORS GAIN A WELL-DESERVED POINT.

During the close season Lincoln City went to a great deal of trouble to strengthen the side, and amongst the captures were Iremonger, the famous Notts County goalkeeper, Bissett, back from Middlesbrough, and Bosbury, who had been on North End’s list.

The side Southport fielded was much of an unknown quantity, for there figured in the team only four of the men who were with the club last season.

Lincoln City-Iremonger; Bissett, McConville; Camp- bell, Robson, McGraham; Bosbury, Dinsdale, Andrews, Sayer, and Pegg.

Southport-Halsall; Glover, Garner; Smith, Wren, Bimson; Jones, Marshall (W. F.), Beadles, Sapsford, and Seddon.

Referee: Mr. R. Collins, Manchester.

The perfection of the ground was shown by the fact that a portion in front of the stand had been recently used as tennis courts. The weather conditions were hot and sunny, and it was obvious that the degree of fitness attained by the players was going to be a very big factor in the game.

Six thousand people saw Southport, who played in black and white shirts, win the toss, Lincoln having to face a very powrful sun. the first minute Lincoln tried a move on the left flank, but Glover put an end to Sayer’s aspirations. It was largely due to the inside left however, that Lincoln maintained the aggressive but from a corner they gained little.

Try as they might, the visitors could not get their attack into action, and Lincoln might have taken the lead in the early stages when Dinsdale allowed the ball to go on to Andrews, who was left with a clear goal.

LIVELY BALL CAUSES TROUBLE.

Halsall, however, knocked the ball out to Glover, who got the better of Andrews in the scramble that followed.

The lively ball was causing a lot of trouble to both sides and the visitors did not seem too happy in their constructive methods.

After Halsall had run out to stop a move by the home centre, play was transferred to the other end, where Iremonger had to handle for the first time. Jones forced McConville to give away a corner, but nothing came of it.

As the game developed Southport came more into the picture, but arshall found a cross kick from the left too fast for him, and the ball passed outside.

Marshall and Jones were seen in several clever moves, but one very promising effort was spoiled by the winger putting his centre too far behind. A defensive misunderstanding, which resulted in two Southport players trying to take the ball together, left Andrews with a sitter, but the Lincoln cenre shot wildly, and the ball went yards wide.

It was a real escape for Southport and they expressed thanks for the let-off by forcing the pace. Sapsford was unlucky on one occasion to lose control just when he appeared to be through.

Subsequent attacks by Lilcoln made on both wings, ended very feebly, but soon aftel Halsall had to bring off a trio of saves in rapid succession.

The scenes of battle continued to be staged in Southport’s half of the field, and once Halsall beat out a deadly centre from the left in bril- liant style.

Lincoln were indulging in a lot of wild kicking when within shooting range, and the Southport team, though not so much on the attack as the opposition, finished in a much more convincing style.

Sapsford shot wide when the gigantic Iremonger bore down upon him from goal, and at the other end Garner was knocked out in stemming a very determined raid by the home right, but soon recovered and materially assisted in defend- ing his lines against several powerful attacks which failed.

Eventually Southport broke away, Marshall and Jones again being the main factors in the attack. When the ball was swung over to the left Bimson tried a drive which struck Beadles in its flight to goal, the centre forward having to receive attention on the touch line before he could resume.

Lincoln afterwards forced two corners both of which proved useless. A couple of minutes later the home centre beat the Southport keeper but offside discounted the point. The Lincoln goal had a narrow escape when Jones ended a great run.

A minute later Sapsford got in a fine shot, but it was just the right height for Iremonger, who fielded it easily. Then Beadles tried to score, but again the tall goalkeeper was at hand, bringing off a brilliant save.

Lincoln failed to improve upon a free kick just outside the penalty area. Soon after Dinsdale was left with a fine opening, but though heshot with great deliberation he could not do better than his colleagues.

Halsall then brought off oneof the most re- markable saves of his career. He dashed out to stem a rush from the middle and though he darted among the players the ball eluded him.

Recovering quickly he was just in time to take the ball with his hands from the toe of an opponent whilst facing goal.

SPECTATORS FAINT.

The heat had caused several people in the crowd to faint, and it was natural that the players should take things a seasily as was con- sistent with safety just before the interval a spurt by Southport took them to within shooting distance, but McCouville saved.

Half-time-Lincoln 0, Southport 0.

SECOND HALF.

Each end was visited inside a couple of minutes, but the best chance came the way of Lincoln. After Glover had failed to hold his flank, the ball was put right across the face of the goal, but Andrews made a bad hash of the simplest of chances by shooting yards wude. Marshl did get the ball into the net, but the whistle had gone for some infringement. At the other end a corner kick appeared to be very dangerous, but the heads of Wren and Bimson relieved the danger. Matters were exciting at the other end where a corner to Southport might have been turned to account if the right flank had been closer in. A couple of goals then came in quick succession, Southport were the first to get the point, a full line raid ending in Beadles beating Ire- monger with a great shot.

The next Lincoln attack brought the sides on level terms, Andrews netting after a scramble in the course of which Halsall had twice pre- viously stopped the ball from point-blank range. In the closing stages play alternated rapidly, but there was no further scoring.

Result-LINCOLN CITY 1, SOUTHPORT 1.

LINCOLN CITY

Catch up after being a goal in arrears

THE POINTS DIVIDED

All was merry and bright at Sincil Bank for the opening of the big campaign. Under a burning sun the grass looked trim and neat, the enclosure bordered by its new white fencing and, better still, by a huge crowd. Sayer captained the side, and Iremonger had a great cheer all to himself on taking up his place between the posts. Both Lincoln and Southport considered themselves materially stronger than last season.

Lincoln City. – Iremonger; Bissett, McConville; Campbell (A.), Robson, McGrann; Bosbury, Dinsdale, Andrews, Sayer, and Pegg.

Southport. – Halsall; Glover, Garner; Smith, Wren, Bimson; Jones, Marshall, Beadles, Sapford, and Seddon.

Referee: R. Collinge, Sale.

The Imps side had lost the toss, and Wren naturally gave his men the advantage of the strong sun at their backs.

Lincoln had to come out to clear early on, and Sayer opened out a chance for his colleagues, Campbell (A.) being well away, but when well inside the Southport goal, Bosbury coming in on the goal line, was found offside.

Robson got a corner and on the wing and Campbell just failed to accept a return pass from Andrews with the result that the ball rolled out harmlessly.

Hands against Smith brought the Imps along again Glover smartly clearing though a little later Andrews broke through to give Halsall a double handful.Iremonger Busy Again.

Then came a burst by the visitors, and Iremonger ran out to the eighteen yards line in anticipation of trouble, but McConville got the ball away without assistance.

The Southport keeper had to deal with a long dropping pass from Robson, and at the Embankment end Beadles finished a nice concerted movement by shooting over the bar from twenty yards.

McConville gave a corner to Marshall, and Robson’s head came in useful for a well placed ball by Jones, the Lincoln goal having a close call when Sapford tried a cross shot along the ground, the ball just missing the base of the upright.

A second corner to Lincoln came through Bosbury, but the pressure tightly packed their goal, a better chance coming with Sayer set his men away in the open, and Andrews shot wide from the first attempt.

The first 25 minutes had proved pretty even, with both defences playing a watchful game. Southport’s big Halsall had rather too little to do and Iremonger there was extremely little to trouble the veteran means. All the same Lincoln had another narrow escape when, with Iremonger out of place, the ball went out to Pegg instead of into a dash by Marshall, and was lost.

A fine header to Garner dropped Southport into Lincoln territory, and for several minutes McConville and Bissett were able to hold the best of Southport rushes and out came Iremonger who had not had too much to do himself.

Half-time: Lincoln City 0, Southport 0.

Lincoln set off vigorously when the second half started and came again with an success from Glover put across an excellent centre which came to the foot of Andrews as the Lincoln leader kicked rashly and volleyed the ball over.

Southport’s response was also dangerous for Brendon got in from the left with a fine ball which Iremonger pulled down, falling in the effort, and he was fouled by Beadles, the whistle going just before Marshall put the ball in the net. No goal, of course, was allowed and the other end Lincoln had a goal disallowed when Andrews put the ball into the net from an offside position.

Southport took a corner off Bissett, but after this Lincoln put on severe pressure, and Halsall twice saved miraculously from Andrews. All this persistence, however was rewarded when with 15 minutes to go BEADLES broke through and gained a capital goal for the visitors.

Two minutes later Lincoln, storming the position goal, gained the success they had deserved much earlier, DINSDALE, from a good position and scoring a fine equalising goal.

Southport were not done by any means, and when McGogall had shown great enterprise, and when the ball was coming in between Iremonger’s legs and a foul was looked like a certainty Lincoln re-arranged their attacking line, and Dinsdale the centre position, but Halsall was not again beaten, Southport also going close from a good cross shot by Pegg. Bosbury looked to have a good success chance in, slipping over from a good position.

Southport made another bold effort to make the points safe at the game was at the other end and Lincoln were lucky when their final flag-kick went wide as called.

Final result: Lincoln City 1, Southport 1.

SCORE SHEET.

75 min. Beadles scored for Southport … 0—1

77 min. Dinsdale scored for Lincoln City … 1—1