Stanley was brought back into the side for his first start of the season and capped a good display with a vital goal. It may not have been the best goal he has ever scored, a 45-yard free kick that somehow managed to evade everyone as it ended up in the back of the net, but it was certainly important.

Said Stanley: "It's been a frustrating season for me but to get a start and get a goal was great. I'll have to admit that I wasn't looking to score. I was just trying to put it into a decent area but when you do that you never know what might happen.

"Sometimes it just needs a touch but on this occasion a crowd of players ran in front of the keeper and he reacted late and ended up in the back of the net.

"I was just happy to play a full 90 minutes and although I was feeling a bit tired at the end I was glad to be back and I am hoping that I can keep my place and move on from here.

"In the end it was a good point for us because Lincoln put us under a lot of pressure. I had another chance that I could probably have done better with but overall I think a point was a fair result at the end of the day.''

In Sammy McIlroy's 100th League game in charge the Shrimps extended their unbeaten run to five games though both teams may well have thought they could have clinched the three points.

Lincoln started the better with Romanian forward Adrian Patulea shooting wide on the turn just wide before Morecambe keeper Barry Roche made a great save from Dany N'Guessan and the returning Danny Adams who only lasted 27 minutes after his recent virus, blocked Patulea's follow up.

Lincoln's early pressure paid off however, when midfielder Lee Frecklington spotted a gap in the middle of the Morecambe defence and took advantage of it with a powerful run and a clean finish past Roche.

Roche was forced to make another decent stop as he saved at the feet of N'Guessen before the Shrimps finally found their feet.

On 25 minutes Stanley was put through by Diarmuid O'Carroll's neat flick but shot straight at Rob Burch and skipper Jim Bentley should have equalised on 43 minutes when he shot wide from six yards out when unmarked.

The Shrimps had been on the rack early on but were rewarded for their effort towards the end of the half with Stanley's angled free kick setting up an exciting second half which saw both sides come close to taking the points.

Lincoln again enjoyed the better of the early exchanges with Patulea denied by the alert Roche before the Imps' striker was denied by a brilliant Bentley goal-line clearance on the hour.

After a slow start Morecambe once again raised the tempo. Rene Howe tested Burch and a Michael Twiss chip flew just wide of the left hand post.

Stewart Drummond headed just over while at the other end Shane Clarke's shot fizzed inches wide of the right hand post.

The final chance fell to the Shrimps as David Artell had a free header in the final minute from a Garry Hunter corner but his effort was easily saved by the Imps keeper as the Shrimps secured their third successive draw.


Lincoln City: Burch; Sinclair (Brown 26), Hone, Kovacs, Beevers; Frecklington, Kerr, Clarke; John-Lewis, Patulea, N'Guessan. Subs: Brown, Gall, Wright, Pembleton, Duffy (GK)

Morecambe: Roche 7; McCann 7, Artell 7, Bentley 7, Adams 6 (Parrish 26), Hunter 7, Stanley 7, Drummond 8, Twiss 7 (rep Wainwright 84), Howe 7, O'Carroll 7 (Curtis 64). Subs: Davies (GK), McStay.

Bookings: McCann, Howe

Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire)

Attendance: 5,003


ON M 3 L 5

OFF M 4 L 9

FOULS M 14 L 10

CORNERS M 3 L 7

OFFSIDES M 7 L 0