THE Daniels outlasted their visitors to make progress in the Unibond League Challenge Cup on Saturday but despite the high scoreline it was not a game which will linger long in the memory.

This competition is not a priority for clubs and the Daniels’ lowest crowd of the season reflected this, while the atmosphere was similar to a low key pre-season friendly.

Lincoln took the lead against the run of play after 19 minutes. Ben Good pulled the ball back and Luke Forbes turned the ball past Martin Davies in the home goal.

Five minutes later the visitors extended their lead when Scott Lowman centred hard and low from the right and Ross Watson turned the ball into his own net under no pressure.

Stamford raised their game late in the half. The comeback started after 40 minutes when a Tyrone Kirk corner from the left was knocked down by Shaun Pearson and Watson atoned for his earlier error by drilling a low shot past Lincoln keeper Mario Ziccardi.

Two minutes before the break Jamie Clarke crossed from the left, Phil Stebbing flicked on and Kirk controlled, touching the ball over a defender and firing home.

Lincoln regained the lead after 59 minutes when Good broke down the left and crossed for Lowman who mishit a shot which bobbled almost apologetically into the corner past Davies.

A minute later Stamford were on terms again with Clarke latching on to a long Pearson clearance and crashing a left foot shot past Ziccardi.

Lincoln went back in front after 66 minutes with Nigel Wallace allowed all the space he needed to fire a low shot across Davies into the bottom corner.

The Daniels squared the game again after 78 minutes. Stebbing won possession and fed Ryan Collis who drifted the ball in behind the visiting rearguard for the onrushing Dan Cotton to stab home.

Stamford went ahead six minutes into extra time when Clarke released Stebbing. Forced wide by Ziccardi, Stebbing kept his composure squaring the ball for Clarke to shoot into the roof of the net.

The Daniels’ place in round two was secured with three minutes of extra time remaining.

Kirk collected a short corner from Collis and weaved his way infield along the goal line. Seconds after he released the ball the wide man was flattened by the Lincoln keeper and a penalty was awarded.

The hard working Stebbing converted the kick to get the goal his efforts on the day deserved.

Daniels boss Dougie Keast said: “The only positives you take from a match like that are scoring that many goals and getting through.

“Conceding four in the manner we did is just not acceptable.”

Daniels: Davies, Watson, Hallows (Collis 71), Sheehan (Steadman 71), Pearson, Oswin, Cotton, Gray, Clarke (White 114), Stebbing, Kirk. Subs not used: Cunnington, Whitby.

Lincoln United: Ziccardi, Glarvey, Porter, Wilkins, Creane (George 83), Machin (Wilkinson 91), Keyworth, Forbes, Good, Lowman (Carchedi 70), Wallace.