Narrow friendly victory in rain thanks to lone try

Wind and rain led to handling errors and although play switch from end-to-end in a scoreless first half, most moves ended with a mistake.

Dinnington used their backs to get behind the home defence but too often took the wrong option at the decisive moment.

Lincoln retained possession in the forwards and tried to rumble their way down field, but were stopped as Dinnington turned the ball over several times.

Dinnington had the elements behind them in the second half and started confidently.

They put Lincoln under pressure inside their own 22 and the home side lost their discipline as a player was binned.

From the next move Dinnington scored, taking a quick tap at a penalty and setting up Steve Leitch to go over near the posts.

Lincoln only got into Dinnington’s 22 twice in the second half, but nearly got on level terms when their number eight broke off the back of a scrum before being held up over the line.

Dinnington cleared the danger and comfortably held on to their lead for the rest of the game.

They are back in action on Saturday in the Championship South when they travel to Sheffield Medicals 2nds looking for what would be only a third league victory of the season.

Two weeks later, Dinnington are away again, this time at Sandal.

Their next home league fixture is not until March, when Thornesians 2nds are the visitors on the first Saturday of the month.

Dinnington are currently ninth in the 12-team division, with 23 points from 13 matches.

They have drawn one of their outings.

Sheffield Tigers 2nds lead the division by two points and have three matches in hand on second-placed Sandal, who played 18 matches.

Dinnington’s next opponents, Sheffield Medicals, are seven points and one place below them.

Thornesians are bottom of Championship South.