Lincoln 2 Walsall 1 - Report

The Saddlers boss, who made more than 100 appearances for the Imps between 1996 and 1999, ramped up his team’s preparations for the new season by taking on the National League winners.

After an uninspiring first-half, Simeon Jackson gave Walsall the lead just five minutes after the interval when he calmly slotted home from the corner of the six-yard-box.

But the introduction of ex-Saddler Josh Ginnelly helped swing the game in favour of the Imps – with the Burnley loanee grabbing two assists as the home side went on to win the tie.

First the winger sent in a teasing cross which was headed home by Nathan Arnold.

Then just moments later, Sean Raggett glanced home a Ginnelly corner to win the game for Danny Cowley’s side.

In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney opted for a mix of youth experience with youngsters Kory Roberts, Callum Cockerill-Mollett and Maz Kouyhar all given the chance to impress.

It meant the Saddlers lined up in a traditional 4-4-2 formation with Jackson partnering Amadou Bakayoko up front.

Regular first-teams Joe Edwards, Flo Cuvelier and Erhun Oztumer were all on a strong substitute’s bench which also included Luke Leahy, Nicky Devlin and Mitch Candlin.

Lincoln lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system with Billy Knott operating behind lone striker Ollie Palmer.

As well marking the return to Lincoln for Whitney, a crowd of 2,376 were also in attendance at Sincil Bank to celebrate the testimonial of Imps defender Lee Beevers.

The 33-year-old, who played for the Saddlers back in the 2011/12 campaign, is a crowd favourite in Lincolnshire after making more than 200 appearances for the club in two separate spells.

During an opening 45 minutes in which clear goal scoring opportunities proved few and far between, it took the Saddlers until midway through the half to register the game’s first chance.

After Kieron Morris has done well to force a long ball forward to Jackson, the Canadian international showed some sharp chest control before thundering a volley over from 25-yards.

Both teams had largely cancelled each other out but with it was the Imps who had looked marginally the more threatening.

And after Matthew Briggs fired a strike wide from the edge of the box, they almost took the lead when Roberts miss-placed a pass straight to Palmer.

The striker’s through-ball sent Jordan Maguire-Drew in behind the Saddlers defence.

But the winger’s audacious chip sailed above Mark Gillespie and over the bar.

After a lacklustre first half, it took the Saddlers just five minutes to open the scoring after the interval.

A short corner routine saw the ball worked to Kouyhar whose cross was only half-cleared into the path of Jackson.

And the striker kept his composure to calmly side-foot into the bottom corner.

With the wind now in their sails, Jackson came close to grabbing a second just past the hour.

After collecting the ball inside the area, the striker produced a neat turn to escape his marker but his strike at goal didn’t have enough power to trouble Paul Farman..

The Imps hit back and pulled level in the 72nd minute following some excellent work by ex-Saddler Ginnelly.

After collecting a short corner, the youngster did well to work himself some space away from Kouyhar and send in a low cross which a diving Arnold headed over the line.

Just six minutes later, the Imps were ahead with Ginnelly again playing a key part in the goal.

This time the Burnley loanee whipped in a teasing corner with Raggett rising highest to glance the ball beyond Gillespie and into the net.

Testimonial man Beevers entered the fray in the closing stages as Walsall huffed and puffed in search of an equaliser.

But the Imps held on to win the tie with a Walsall XI now set to play Rushall Olympic in a friendly on Tuesday before the League One campaign kicks off next Saturday.

Teams:

Walsall: Gillespie, Kinsella, Guthrie, Roberts, Cockerill-Mollett, Morris, Chambers, Flanagan (Edwards 76), Kouyhar, Jackson (Candlin 67), Bakayoko.

Subs not used: Roberts, Leahy, Devlin, Cuvelier, Oztumer.

Lincoln: Farman, Eardley, Raggett, Howe, Briggs (Rhead 60), Maguire-Drew (Whitehouse 60), Woodyard, Bostwick (Anderson 60), Arnold (Beevers 89), Knott (Long 60), Palmer (Ginnelly 60).

Subs not used: Vickers, McMenemy, Chapman,