Lincoln City 1-1 Carlisle United: Plange earns Blues a point

United's loan striker grabbed the opener as he diverted Owen Moxon's free-kick into the Lincoln net after 19 minutes.

Ethan Hamilton's powerful strike from distance levelled things early in the second half.

And despite further incident at both ends, neither side could go on and win it.

Carlisle were aggrieved not to have been awarded a penalty late in the first half, while Owen Moxon could also have won it after the break.

Lincoln threatened at times with sub Hakeeb Adelakun almost grabbing a late winner, but the Cumbrians held on in front of 645 vocal travelling fans to go three games unbeaten in League One.

The United staff at Lincoln were joined by Jake Simpson after the recent appointment of the manager's son as the club's new head of performance.

And on the pitch there was one significant change, as striker Joshua Kayode was ruled out with injury as ex-Lincoln loanee Plange came back into the Cumbrians' side.

That saw Ryan Edmondson back among the subs - while for the hosts there were two changes, Paudie O'Connor and Ted Bishop coming on for Adam Jackson and Danny Mandroiu.

Mark Kennedy's Imps side included ex-Carlisle loan keeper Lukas Jensen, but it was United who made the livelier start, Sean Maguire cutting in to test the home No1 with just 35 seconds on the clock.

O'Connor headed a long Sean Roughan throw onto the roof of Carlisle's net, but United retained a strong presence in the Lincoln half, led by Maguire's smart line-leading.

Owen Moxon sends in the free-kick which led to the opening goal (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Jordan Gibson and Fin Back were also in the thick of things as Simpson's side applied pressure, while Carlisle worked doggedly to keep Kennedy's side away from their own box.

A strong spell down the right then led to two free-kicks, the second of which created the opener as Moxon's delivery was turned past Jensen - Plange getting the crucial touch after a run to the near post.

Carlisle's vocal travelling fans increased the volume and were then relieved Jack Burroughs could not beat Jokull Andresson in the 22nd minute when the Lincoln wide man cut into the Blues box from the left.

United remained enterprising with Maguire a regular thorn in the Imps' side and he almost set up Plange for another with a cross intercepted by Jensen.

Moxon then ran onto a Plange pass and tested the home keeper before Lincoln's Alistair Smith found space to shoot fom 25 yards, drawing a smart diving stop from Andresson.

Carlisle then felt they should have had a 44th minute penalty as Maguire got behind O'Connor and went down in the box - but ref Tom Nield waved away the appeals, much to Simpson and United's fury.

Maguire had a late chance held by Jensen before the break, Carlisle going in 1-0 up and with right to be satisfied with their first 45 minutes' work.

Yet their lead only lasted four minutes into the second half as Lincoln - who replaced Smith with Adelakun at the break - hit back.

They worked the ball into space in the United half and, from 30 yards, Hamilton fired a rocket past Andresson and into the bottom corner with his left foot.

That impressive effort lifted Lincoln, who moments later put Adelakun clean through but the offside flag went up as the sub hit the post.

Carlisle, though, could easily have restored their lead in the 55th minute as Back got to the byline and cut the ball back for the arriving Moxon, but he failed to beat Jensen from an excellent position.

Carlisle's 645 fans were in good voice throughout (Image: Barbara Abbott)

At the other end Ted Bishop had a promising chance for Lincoln via Reeco Hackett's backheel, but Andresson was equal to his low finish.

A Lincoln attack in the 64th minute saw a cross flash dangerously through the six-yard box as Carlisle survived, Simpson immediately making a double change up front as Terry Ablade and Joe Garner replaced Plange and Maguire.

Callum Guy was denied by Jensen with a shot from the right, before Ablade had an attempt blocked as Garner fumed at the referee after a foul by O'Connor had gone unpunished.

Gibson saw a shot comfortably saved by Jensen as United kept looking for another goal, while Lincoln, who brought on Dylan Duffy and Jaden Brown in the second half, went close through a 30-yard Hamilton free-kick.

Moments after becoming the fourth of five United players booked, Sam Lavelle then rose to meet a Moxon corner but couldn't keep his header down in the 84th minute.

Things remained very much in the balance, Ablade's pace trying to take the fight to Lincoln when Carlisle broke, a challenge denying the sub on the edge of the box before Moxon shot over.

Also in added time, Duffy fired over the bar for the hosts, and Adelakun almost won it at the death with a weaving run which Mellish intercepted in the nick of time, Carlisle holding off final pressure to take another point back to Cumbria.

Lincoln: Jensen, Sorensen, Mitchell, Roughan, O’Connor, Burroughs, Erhahon, Hamilton, Smith (Adelakun 46), Hackett (Duffy 68), Bishop. Not used: Wright, Brown, Eyoma, Gallagher, Makama.

Goal: Hamilton 49.

Booked: Duffy.

United: Andresson, Lavelle, Huntington, Mellish, Back, Armer, Guy, Moxon, Gibson, Maguire (Garner 64), Plange (Ablade 64). Not used: Holy, Edmondson, McCalmont, Whelan, Robinson.

Goal: Plange 19.

Booked: Plange, Garner, Mellish, Lavelle, Moxon.

Ref: Tom Nield.

Crowd: 8,514 (645 United fans).