Sunderland are digging away.

Lee Johnson, aside from shielding his eyes from the blazing sun, looks comfortable.

His side are creating chances.

Liam Bridcutt gets a booking for a little wild swipe. Lincoln's midfield enforcer needs to be careful now.

Aiden McGeady passes up another chance.

Sunderland get down the right and Lynden Gooch drops a shoulder to bamboozle his full-back and crosses.

Charlie Wyke touches the cross to McGeady, whose looping curling effort is over.

Grant Leadbitter and Ross Stewart will come on for Sunderland.

Jordan Jones is off, while Max Power is also withdrawn.

There was a conga line of defenders and attackers as that corner was readied. Looked amusing.

Less amusing is the injury to Regan Poole. Might have taken a bump when going up for a header, the Lincoln full-back.

Superb save from Joe Bursik, as Aiden McGeady tip-toes his way into the box and then swerves his way through before curling a shot at goal which is brilliantly turned away.

Mind you, Bursik is down. Injured? This will be a worry... He's back up.

Really good build-up from Lincoln, as Tayo Edun heads down the right and slides a ball into the box.

It's touched off to Morgan Rogers, but it's a shank of the widest, most skewed proportions which fizzes well off-target.

If you're Lee Johnson, do you look to Chris Maguire here?

He's got the creativity and swagger.

Oh, and now Luke O'Nien is in the book for throwing Jorge Grant to the floor. Yellow.

Sunderland pepper Joe Bursik, this time Lynden Gooch can't make a true connection, and a deflection takes the sting out of his effort as it bobbles through to Bursik.

Sunderland curl it in and Luke O'Nien rises highest, but his looping header sails onto the roof of the net.

Another chance.

Sunderland winger Jordan Jones is lopped down on the right, as the evening sun shines down onto the Sincil Bank pitch.

This could be interesting...

Jorge Grant gets the corner in from the left, but a foul brings Lincoln's attack to a premature end.

Credit to Liam Bridcutt for his role in the goal by the way. He snapped up the loose ball after a failed clearance to feed Grant, and you know what happened next...

Image source, Rex Features

Lincoln are up and their fans are bouncing.

Already singing about Wembley. Already singing about the final.

Sunderland need to reset sharpish.

And Luke O'Nien has just put a foot through Morgan Rogers which has been pulled up by referee Craig Hicks. Warning.

Brilliant save denies Jorge Grant!

Morgan Rogers runs at the Sunderland defence and has them backpedalling desperately, but as he tries to dance his way into the box he gets the ball caught in between his feet.

Cleared.

Then Sunderland press at the other end and Charlie Wyke bundles his way in before being pulled up by referee Craig Hicks.

Then the header from the corner smacks the crossbar and leaves it shaking. Bailey Wright soars to meet it and it bruises the woodwork.

So close twice in a row for Sunderland!

Huge save from the new boy Joe Bursik.

Sunderland's Jordan Jones drifts in off the right and then thuds a rocket off the left foot and forced Bursik to tip it up and onto the bar and behind.

Jordan Jones brings down a bursting Jorge Grant and Lincoln get a free-kick on the left.

Grant steps up to take it, sweeps it in, it loops up in the box but there is Lee Burge to grab it.

Timely intervention.

So, first quarter of the two-legged semi is in the bag.

Can someone pick up an advantage before Saturday's game? We'll find out in the next 45 minutes or so.

Lincoln get us going.