Carshalton Athletic go into their FA Trophy replay tonight after a valiant 0-0 draw in Lincoln City on Saturday.

Both sides hit the woodwork as Carshalton worked hard to match their higher league opponents in a game that ebbed and flowed from the first whistle.

The replay was originally scheduled for last night but was postponed until tonight due to frozen pitch, and manager Paul Dipre praised the fans who made the trip to Sincil Bank on Saturday.

“Credit to the whole team for producing a focussed, hard-working, intelligent and gutsy performance,” he said.

“I must also give great credit to the travelling Robins supporters who made the journey. Their support was massive and they were as much a part of the day as the players. I have never heard such vocal support for an away game.

“Tonight will be an even bigger test for us as Lincoln know what we’re made of now, but we won’t lay down.

"Fitness will be a key and Lincoln will hold the advantage as they did today, but we’re just going to do our best like we did on Saturday.”

With regular captain David Ray suspended, striker Paul Vines led the team out on the day. There was also a debut for on-loan midfielder Reece Jones, who joined from AFC Wimbledon a couple of days before, plus Kieran Murphy and Craig Tanner made long-awaited appearances after both recovered from long-term injuries.

The match was a lively affair from the off as both sides looked to get on the front foot first with neat approach play. Murphy, who played his match since coming off injured against Raynes Park Vale in November, settled back into the defence and made some good clearances alongside Justyn Roberts.

Hamann made the first save of the game on eight minutes as he easily gathered Conal Platt’s 30 yard free kick. However Carshalton came the closest to opening the scoring in the first half through captain Vines on 11 minutes.

He collected a long ball that bounced over Jean-Francois Christophe and hit a scuffed shot from 25 yards out that deceived Lincoln goalkeeper Joe Anyon, who managed to tip it onto the post. Laurent Hamici was first onto the rebound but Anyon did well to gather his first-time attempt.

A minute later Hamici drove a thunderous shot from the edge of the box that sailed just over Anyon’s crossbar after Luke Nolan pulled away a covering defender with a clever run to create the shooting space. Carshalton had their hosts on the back foot and also won two corners in quick succession on 15 minutes.

The Robins’ defence dealt with Lincoln’s forward movements and the midfield backed them up at every opportunity, with Vines and Hamici acting as willing outlets. Michael Kamara made a good block by his penalty spot from Sam Smith’s shot on the turn and, as Carshalton broke, Luke Pigden played a slide rule pass to set Vines away but he was halted by the linesman’s flag.

It was Robert’s turn to break up a Lincoln attack on 26 minutes as he executed a perfectly timed sliding tackle on Smith in his own box as Hamann elected to stay on his line. The Robins’ disciplined display frustrated the home crowd who began to make their unhappiness known.

Hamici worked Anyon with a 30 yard drive and Jones won a 50-50 ball in midfield to set Pigden up 20 yards out, but the left midfielder dragged his shot wide as the first half drew to a close.

On 44 minutes a Carshalton move down the right ended with both Nolan and Kamara having decent shots blocked by the last defender, but Lincoln broke and Jamie Taylor found himself free in the Robins box, but he was denied by a combination of Roberts and Hamann.

Carshalton started the second half brightly and Jones picked out a Vines run that sprung the offside trap but, as he was challenged by a recovering Matthew Pearson, Hamici picked up the ball and eventually won a corner. Roberts met Pigden’s delivery but his header was stopped on the line by Paul Robson.

Lincoln started to have more possession of the ball as the game moved towards the hour mark, but The Robins’ back line held firm and denied them any clear cut chances.

Sonny Ayres came on for Hamici and then Hamann won a race with Smith to gather the ball as the home striker looked to latch onto a through pass. A few tackles were now flying in and the game had a proper cup-tie feel to it.

A neat move from The Robins saw Roberts pick out Nolan in the Lincoln box on 70 minutes. The young winger worked the ball out wide to Jones and his cross was met by the head of Pigden, but its lack of power meant Anyon plucked it out of the air.

Lincoln started to push The Robins back with sub Alan Power heading wide from a good position inside Carshalton’s area on 74 minutes and Roberts picking up a yellow card as he took down fellow sub Jake Sheridan, who threatened to break clear down the right.

Ayres alleviated some pressure with a 60 yard run that started in his own half and ended with a throw-in deep in Lincoln territory, but Carshalton couldn’t fashion a chance to cap the move.

In the last 10 minutes both teams had great chances to win it, firstly as Karlton Watson blazed over after he found himself in the box with only Hamann to beat. Billy Crook was introduced in place of Craig Tanner to add fresh legs to the midfield and it was Carshalton’s turn to almost steal the victory at the start of five minutes added time.

Nolan got down the right and beat two markers to cut inside the Lincoln box. He picked out Pigden with a square ball, 12 yards out, but his shot was blocked by a flying body and smuggled away.

And Carshalton left Sincil Bank with a replay after Power’s shot clipped the top of the crossbar after Simon Russell delivered a left wing cross – it was no more than The Robins deserved as the home side walked off the pitch to a chorus of boos from their supporters.