Controversial encounter ends in 3-2 defeat for the Valiants.

• Match Report | Lincoln City 3 - 2 Port Vale
• Valiants led 2-1 through Matty Taylor and Danny Butterworth strikes after Lasse Sorensen opener for the hosts
• Tom Conlon, Sammy Robinson and Lincoln City goalkeeper Carl Rushworth in game that sees nine yellow cards and three cards handed out, with Ben House and Adam Jackson scoring second and third goals for the Imps

Adam Jackson scored an 87th minute winner for Lincoln City to deny nine-man Valiants a point at the LNER Stadium.

In a controversial encounter that included five goals, three red cards, and nine yellow cards, Jackson’s header secured the Imps all three points in the latter stages, despite a spirited performance from Darrell Clarke's side.

The hosts opened the scoring when Lasse Sorenson managed to run in behind the Vale defence, before finishing past Aidan Stone.

Just as the game approached the half-hour mark, Vale were awarded a penalty after Matty Taylor was bundled to the ground by goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, and the Lincoln number one was dismissed after denying the striker a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Taylor subsequently converted the spot-kick down the middle to bring the Valiants level, his third goal in Vale colours.

Only two minutes later, Danny Butterworth, who netted his first goal for the club against the Imps back in October, fired us into the lead with a glorious first-time half-volley after he was picked out by Taylor.

However, in the aftermath of the goal, Valiants skipper Tom Conlon was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident, with the majority of the LNER Stadium not seeing the game's key moment as attention was on Butterworth firing the Vale into the lead.

The game's fourth goal came in the 42^nd minute as Lincoln levelled through Ben House, who chested down a ball over the top before curling a strike beyond Stone.

The drama would not end there, and with ten minutes left on the clock substitute Sammy Robinson was shown a second yellow card, meaning Clarke's side would face the closing stages of the game with nine men.

Vale’s hopes of a point were dashed just three minutes from time when Jackson latched onto Dylan Duffy’s cross to head home.

Manager Clarke had made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 against Oxford United on Easter Monday, with Taylor and Butterworth both returning to the side.

James Wilson had looked destined to fire Vale back into the lead less than a minute after Lincoln’s equaliser, but he was denied by a crucial last-ditch tackle.

Butterworth came close to adding his second, and Vale’s third of the game in first half stoppage time, but his strike from the edge of the area drifted wide of Jordan Wright’s far post.

Vale thought they had retaken the lead moments before the hour when the ball fell to Aaron Donnelly on the left-hand side of the box, however, the young defender’s strike was palmed into the side-netting by Wright.

The hosts had gone close to taking the lead with 20 minutes to go when Regan Poole was left unmarked at the far post, but the Imps captain couldn’t manage to keep his header on target.

The end-to-end battle continued, and this time it was the turn of Tom Pett to have an effort on goal, but after plucking the ball out the sky, his strike was deflected narrowly wide.

Moments later, Robinson fired a powerful strike over the bar as the Valiants searched for a winning goal.

Unfortunately, it was Lincoln who found the fifth goal of the encounter, and now Vale turn their attentions to Tuesday’s fixture away at Ipswich Town.

Lincoln City | Rushworth, Poole, Boyes, Jackson, Shodipo (Duffy 79), Erahaon, O’Connor, House (Plange 90), Mandriou (Sanders 90), Sorenson, Virtue (Wright 29)

Unused Subs | Walsh, Eyoma, Roughan

Port Vale | Stone, Donnelly, Smith, Worrall (Holden 46), Wilson (Harrison 46), Conlon, Benning (Robinson 46), Forrester, Taylor (Massey 70), Pett, Butterworth (Plant 73)

Unused Subs | Stevens, Proctor

Attendance | 8,290 (641 Valiants)