Ebbsfleet United came from behind to draw at Lincoln but left Sincil Bank knowing they could have taken all three points.

Liam Bellamy, back from suspension, came off the bench to score the Fleet’s equaliser after Nicky Nicolau had put Lincoln ahead in the third minute.

A pass from Alan Power picked out Nicolau and the former Dover man cut inside before driving a low shot under Ebbsfleet keeper Preston Edwards.

Power and Jamie Taylor both went close as the Imps went in search of a second goal, before the Fleet responded with a Neil Barrett header claimed by home custodian Paul Farman.

Paul Lorraine’s under-hit backpass almost gifted Lincoln a goal at the other end. Power seized on the mistake but chose not to pass to a team-mate, allowing the Ebbsfleet skipper to recover and block.

Just before the hour-mark, Fleet manager Liam Daish brought on Bellamy and Nathan Elder and the visitors were level moments later. Lanre Azeez led a quick counter-attack and squared for Bellamy, who scored from the edge of the box.

Elder, Bellamy, Azeez and Tom Phipp all had chances to win the game, although Ebbsfleet could have finished empty-handed if ex-Gills defender John Nutter had not seen his late free-kick saved by Edwards.