Lincoln City continued their pre-season schedule with a draw at county rivals Boston United.

Chris Fagan gave the Imps the lead inside 90 seconds, capitalising on a weak clearance from goalkeeper Aaron Butcher, but Marc Newsham equalised from the spot nine minutes before the break after James Cullingworth was upended by Kern Miller.

Trialist Rob Gradwell spurned three second-half chances while Paul Connor looked lively but the Imps could not turn their dominance into goals.

The Imps lined up with trialist Ryan Wilkie on the right-hand side of midfield, while there was also a start for youngster Luca Coleman-Carr on the left, as well as fellow contract hopeful and former Tottenham youngster, Cian Hughton, at right back.

Connor was given another chance to impress in attack alongside Fagan, while Moses Swaibu and Kern Miller replaced Danny Hone and János Kovács in the heart of defence.

As for Boston, they fielded a whole host of new players in their line-up and on the bench.

The Pilgrims' substitutes included former Imps youngsters Gary King, who had turned out for Accrington on Tuesday, and Martin Pembleton.

The Imps took the lead after 90 seconds through a touch of class from Fagan.

Aaron Butcher hesitated with a back pass and his clearance only found the striker, who hit an opportunistic first time lob into the back of an empty net from the edge of the 18-yard box, much to the delight of the Imps' fans in the Town end.

Boston forced the first corner of the game after 10 minutes, following a sound defensive clearance from Swaibu, who was then on hand to mop away the resultant set-piece.

Stefan Oakes and captain for the night, Richard Butcher, were linking up well in midfield, and looked composed in possession on the slick York Street surface, while Miller marshalled the early physical threat of former Stamford striker Jamie Clarke, who looked dangerous in the air.

City almost made it two on 24 minutes when, after a superb ball from Fagan put Coleman-Carr through down the left, Connor was on hand to divert the youngster's cross narrowly over Butcher's bar with a deft flick.

Connor was in the thick of things nine minutes later, this time staying down and receiving treatment after a hefty knock to his left shoulder following an aerial challenge.

Boston won a penalty on 36 minutes when Cullingworth was crudely brought down by Miller, in what was their first purposeful attack.

Newsham, who had been quiet up to that point, dispatched the penalty with confidence low down the middle, with Rob Burch diving to his left.

Connor almost put the Imps back in front three minutes later with a snap shot after Fagan had bustled his way through the Pilgrims' back line, but Butcher got his angles right to save comfortably.

At the start of the second half, trialist Gradwell, Andy Hutchinson, Aaron Brown and Shane Clarke replaced Fagan, Heath, Wilkie and Butcher respectively, with Oakes taking the captain's armband from the former Notts County man.

There was also a run-out for Paul Musselwhite, the veteran goalkeeper replacing Burch.

Pilgrims' trialist, goalkeeper Rob Murray, who was on the books of King's Lynn last season, replaced Aaron Butcher, while Pembleton and King were also given run-outs from the kick off for Boston.

Lincoln had the first chance of the second half. Oakes almost put Lincoln back in front on 50 minutes but his side-foot effort from the edge of the area rebounded off the left-hand post.

Seven minutes later Swaibu then showed great defensive instincts to block Newsham's powerful run in to the penalty area.

At the other end, Brown was unlucky not to give the Imps the lead but he dragged his shot wide from the left-hand side, under pressure from an aggressive challenge by Shaun Pearson.

Connor, who was having more of an influence on the game, than he did against Ferencváros, then embarked on a strong run into the Boston half, but his eventual shot from distance flew over the top.

Oakes then saw a free-kick heading towards goal headed over for a corner after Gradwell won a free-kick on the edge of the area.

Gradwell then missed three chances in quick succession, firing over from distance, having a close-range shot blocked by Murray and then heading over Brown's cross when he should have done better. That was the last chance of the game as the Imps' squad gained another vital 90 minutes ahead of the new League Two season.

BOSTON: Butcher, Wood, Cullingworth, Parker, Pearson, Canoville, Camm, Clarke, Newsham, Askham. Subs: Beck, Kennedy, Thompson, King, Pembleton, Jackson, Murray.

LINCOLN: Burch, Swaibu, Oakes, Butcher, Fagan, Heath, Connor, Wilkie, Hughton, Miller, Coleman-Carr. Subs: Brown, Kovacs, Hone, Rob Gradwell, Clarke, Musselwhite, Adams, Hutchinson.