This won’t be a full match report because I wasn’t at the game, and I’d only be rehashing the same content the club has put out.
However, the Imps picked up a win this after against Norwich City Under 21s, and there are a couple of key takeaways from it worth mentioning.
Firstly, the result from behind closed doors. It doesn’t actually matter, but it’s nice to pick up another win, just from a momentum point fo view. I’m sure nobody at the club is getting carried away, but there are positive signs. For a start, Jovon grabbing another goal is worth noting – of our five strikers, he was the fifth going into pre-season, but it’s exciting that he’s been impressive. Could he be a surprise starter come the Burton fixture?
Dom Jeffries grabbed a goal, and that’s great news as well. He missed the game against Harrogate, but with Ethan Hamilton and Conor McGrandles likely to miss the start of the season, he might have a big opportunity to impress early. One aspect of his game lacking at Gillingham was goals, but I’m led to believe the coaching staff feel he has more to offer in that area – was today a precursor to him becoming a little more lethal in front of goal?
There was also an assist for Tom Hamer. I suspect he has been brought in to play permanently on the right side of our defence, so there are valuable minutes in the tank for him as well. One or two of the new faces have been used sparingly over the last few friendlies, so it’s good to see the names of Hamer and Jefferies on the match report. Rob Street pops up a couple of times as well – he had not impressed me during his Shrewsbury stint, and I’m very much looking forward to being made to eat my words.
“It was tough, and it was really warm; it was one of our most difficult pre-season games, but it’s good to get minutes into the players, with three different 30-minute periods,” he told the club’s site.
However, my hopes of seeing Jeffries against Burton might be dashed if Michael’s next comments are to be interpreted in a certain way. “It’s early for Dom but he’s been in training this week. It’s all about getting minutes into him and the players. I thought he did well when he came on, he’s getting there just needs to build up.”
The Imps now move forward to the weekend, when we have our first (and only) pre-season friendly at Sincil Bank, against Arsenal Under 21s.
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