The second period showed another side to the Imps’ game. Cambridge came out with a renewed intensity, something always likely after a halftime talk from their manager, Mark Bonner. City looked for a foothold for ten minutes, something not helped by Ted Bishop having to go off for Fiorini. The on-loan Manchester City man settled quickly though, impressing during his time on the field.
Cambridge got their first shot on target on 55 minutes, a chance created by the lively Tracey. Josh Griffiths was equal to it, parrying to the feet of McGrandles, who calmly got the ball away. If Cambridge thought that was a good omen, they were wrong, as a break moments later saw us grab a fourth. It was a sumptuous finish, but the move started on the right with a pass from (you guessed it) Regan Poole. Mind you, it was a 10-yard pass inside his own half, which Scully took by feigning a turn before spinning away in space. Whilst Liam O’Niell was left contemplating a lifetime of waking up at night in cold shivers, Scully strode forward, moving inside with McGrandles outside. Instead, he found Fiorini in space, 18-yards out. Imps fans might not have seen this before, but I have; I watched his goals for NAC Breda last season, I know what happens next. With absolute precision, he controlled, and despite three defenders in attendance, he picked the top corner out perfectly, 4-0, game over.
Or was it? I’ve said throughout Cambridge aren’t a bad side, and they proved that by not letting their heads drop and getting back into the game. We gave the ball away as we came out of defence, and from there the home side crafted a goal for Joe Ironside which Griffiths could do little about. Whilst you should never lose a four-goal lead, I did worry that it might be a catalyst for a final 30 minutes of the Imps retreating into their shells, defending stoically. I need not have worried.
With intensity still in the game, we pressed for a fifth, and they hunted some respectability. It is worth noting Griffiths pulled off a great save from a 25-yard Lloyd Jones piledriver, before two good Shilow Tracey efforts went wide. Both of those chances were created by the sort of play we had displayed in the attacking third, which makes me think Cambridge might be alright this season. Hoolahan and Tracey are both dangerous and creative, and on another day maybe it goes to 4-2 for a nervy finish. That said, Adelakun had a brace of efforts either side of Tracey’s, one blocked and another saved. It was a game that could have tailed off into a weak finish, but neither side were allowing that to happen, even though the result was all-but certain.
With 18 left to play, and just moments after Tracey fired wide, City wrapped up a wonderful afternoon. It started with Hakeeb this time (Poole needs to up his game, only four of the five goals started with him), he played a one-two with Fiorini before lofting the ball out wide to Scully. What’s really impressive is Scully movement for the goal. He’s stood still, pointing exactly where he wants it, and as if on a mechanism, once the ball is played he springs onto it, meeting it perfectly with exemplary control. As seemed to be the case all afternoon, he dropped a shoulder to lose George Williams before curling a great finish over Mitov. Any lingering doubts over the result ended with 20 minutes or so left to play, including injury time.
That goal did end the game, Cambridge didn’t have another effort and City only had one, Fiorini shooting straight at Mitov after a nice run and cross from Jamie Robson. It didn’t matter that the intensity had gone from the game by that point, the fat lady had been practising the lyrics long before the final whistle. Before the end of the game, I did like a moment between Scully and Williams in the final minute. Scully, clearly dead on his feet after a ten out of ten performance, looked to get round the defender, and ended up with his back to goal. Before he could find Robson he was clearly held by Williams, the only way the hapless former Bristol Rovers man could stop our star man. Scully, clearly incensed, fought back and although the referee gave the decision against Scully, I loved that moment. It might have been silly and drawn a yellow card, but to see him frustrated as he was finally stopped the only way a defender could, illegally, was actual a compliment to him. Two goals, three assists and even into the final minute he refused to think about adding more.
There’s much more I could say about the game, about how we played. On reflection, we did give the ball away on occasions, both TJ in the first half and Hakeeb in the second half gifting Cambridge a chance, but both were eight or nine out of ten throughout the game. On an afternoon where maybe the goals and assists didn’t all involved one player, Liam Bridcutt might have been man of the match. He’s very much the on-field conductor of this orchestra, and he proved it with another outstanding display. Hakeeb was magnificent too, at the heart of everything positive we did, and certainly deserves a mention. However, when you score two and create three in a 5-1 win, you’re going to be man of the match, and rightly so. I wouldn’t want it forgotten that behind every assist, certainly in this game, there were four or five other passes, involving almost every player at some point or another. Yes, this was the Anthony Scully show, but he was supported by what they call in Hollywood an ‘ensemble cast’ of stars all capable of leading the show themselves on their day.
I’ll leave you with this. After Oxford, I got messages describing the squad as a mess, unbalanced and erratic., Some reflected on the new signings as yet to impress, and there was a sense of panic. I didn’t fear for the season, but Oxford was a low point, just as it was last season, for one reason or another. We might be light in terms of depth, but yesterday a very good Lincoln City side turned in a sensational display of attacking football, and for the first hour or so, we did it with ten outfield players we own outright. Michael said it might be the end of September before this squad shows what it can do.
I think he might have meant September 11th.
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