Lincoln United recorded their first points of 2018 with a 2-0 win over Gresley at Ashby Avenue.
The Whites ended a torrid run of four defeats in a row to start the year thanks to a goal in each half from striker Ryan Oliver, but were grateful to debutant ‘keeper Michael Emery for a second half penalty save.
Sam Wilkinson’s side were deserving of their win over their struggling visitors, who remained bottom of the pile while Lincoln moved up one place to 13th.
There was a welcome return to the starting line up for the Whites in club captain, Sean Wright, who had been ruled out by a medical professional since September. However after a second opinion Wright returned to the side, this time in the centre of midfield as opposed to his normal position at centre back.
Pearson Mwanyongo had the first chance of the game for the visitors with a speedy run down the right wing, he then cut inside and struck the ball left-footed but Emery made an easy save.
Wright had his first shot at goal back in a Whites shirt after 12 minutes but his powerful right footed strike flew over the bar.
It was a cagey opening to the game, but Oliver had a great chance to give the Whites the lead 20 minutes in. Jack Wightwick’s brilliant run down the left found Oliver unmarked in the box, but his header was straight at Callum Hawkins in the Gresley goal.
Just before the half hour mark, Gresley skipper Jamie Barrett found Reece Morris breaking through the Whites’ defence but the home team got bodies back behind the ball and successfully cleared their lines.
But Lincoln started to gain control after that, and two minutes later had a chance of their own. Wright’s long ball forward found the out-stretched boot of Matt Cotton but the keeper made a good save.
The Whites should have taken the lead moments later when Cotton stole the ball off the defence, however his pass couldn’t find Wightwick who was in space. The ball fell to Oliver who lashed his effort wide from ten yards, with referee Peter Walker turning down the home side’s penalty claims.
But United did take the lead on the stroke of half time. Rob Norris broke free down the right and crossed in to the box, where Oliver stretched furthest and poked past Hawkins and into the back of the net to give his side a well deserved lead heading into the break.
Gresley came out firing after the break in their desire for points in their quest to avoid the drop, and four minutes into the half had a golden chance to level the game.
The ball was played back to Emery in the Lincoln goal but he mis-controlled the ball straight in to the path of Morris. Emery then brought the midfielder down to concede a penalty, but atoned for his error with a fine save from the spot kick, diving to his left to deny Sean Phillips.
The visitors were dominating the beginning of the second half and Matt Melbourne almost equalised on two separate occasions, but both times his headers were just wide of the post.
After a positive start to the second half from the visitors, Lincoln United doubled their lead after an hour. Cotton looked certain to score but was denied by a tackle from Josh Eggington, that deflected just over the bar. The resulting corner was taken by Steve Ridley, his left footed set piece found the head of Oliver who climbed highest to head home at the far post.
With Lincoln now in control, Norris’ right-footed free kick beat the wall but was well saved by Hawkins as the hosts sought a third.
Gresley had a good chance to get back into the game after 70 minutes when Mwanyongo’s cross found Courtney Meade’s head on the six yard box but he failed to get any power behind the header.
But Lincoln were always comfortable, and a swerving run from substitute Kallum Smith with ten minutes remaining found Norris but he couldn’t find the target. Better options were available for Norris as Oliver was waiting in space begging for the pass to complete his hat-trick.
It wasn’t to matter, though, with the Whites were the better of the two sides on the day. The victory clearly meant a lot to the players with club captain Wright back in the side, singing a rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” to celebrate taking all three points.