What’s the story of the second half? We saw out the game, grabbed another goal and everyone went home for Christmas happy. It really was as simple as that. Of course, it shouldn’t have been – Reading had the likes of Harvey Knibbs and Lewis Wing on the pitch, but as I’ve said, repeatedly, it just felt like they’d been broken by everything that’s happened recently. Their passes went astray, their attacks broke down and they looked devoid of confidence, which is mad when you consider they’d lost one in nine prior to playing us.
In fairness, we were just excellent in the second period, and looked likely to score with every attack. We actually underperformed our xG in the game, 2.29 to the two goals we scored, but the second period was just utter domination. Remember when we were the team that had the lowest possession in the division? That went out the window as we had 70% of the ball in the second half. I know they were down to ten, but you still have to beat what is in front of you and we did it with utter professionalism.
Ben House had two superb efforts come off the inside of the post, the second of which was an outstanding save from Pereira. Lewis Montsma could perhaps have scored, but the referee gave an inexplicable free kick after a rare Pereira mistake was judged to have been caused by a non-existent foul. However, we’ve no right to say anything too negative about the referee, so I’ll let it slide.
There were some huge performances, some I’ve mentioned and some I haven’t. Ethan Erhahon just purred all afternoon, stroking passes around the field like a seasoned international. The way he caresses the ball and uses his body to protect it is a joy to see, and his high standards help drive the team as well. He misplaced a pass at one stage, possibly in the first half, and you could see him getting angry with himself. I like that; I like it a lot.
He certainly didn’t have cause to be angry at Jovon, who showed the very best side of his game in the second period. Three times, he skinned two opponents on the flank, using both power and trickery. Knocking the ball past two players and then getting through them to deliver a cross was seemingly his thing yesterday, and while those doubters will be quick to start talking about goals in games, you have to give praise where it is due. Anyone criticising his performance yesterday has an agenda, not an opinion. In my opinion, that is.
Coming to the second goal, I remember talking to Lewis Montsma in the summer and saying how we were looking forward to him knocking those big 50-yard balls across the pitch, switching play and creating space. We’ve not seen much of that yet, we tend to go down the channels rather than across the pitch, but we finally did get to see the flying Dutchman do what he does well for the assist. His ball for the second goal can be described in many ways – exquisite, pinpoint, sumptuous, magnificent, even outrageous. Watching it back this morning, it perhaps summed up the entire Lincoln City approach for me. When things come off, we make the game look effortlessly easy. It hasn’t always worked, but we have this panache in our locker that, when we pull it out, really does get bums off seats. It wasn’t just his cross that did that, but Hackett’s well-timed run and finish which put the game to bed. Remember, a pass is only really as good as the person on the end of it makes it. Lewis set it up, and Reeco applied the finish to make it 2-0, game, set and match.
I felt there was another goal in the game, proving that my feelings aren’t always accurate. We made changes, and those coming on certainly did well – Erik Ring showed nice touches, Freddie put himself about well, and Jack Moylan did what he does: make you think there’s a goal coming whenever he gets the ball. It was a nice way to see out a good win, just letting those on the bench have a taste of what was a really easy second period. I genuinely hope Reading fans reading this don’t feel that is too arrogant or insulting, and I’m sure they felt the same about their team’s performance. Of course, they could have snatched one with a late overhead kick, their only shot on target, but Wickens made the save. I enjoyed seeing him keep the clean sheet and make the late stop, as if everyone was able to get in on the act and do something good.
There wasn’t a moan to be heard outside the ground, and rightly so. Sometimes, you win, and sometimes you lose, and performances are the same. Wrexham, for instance, we lost, and people were angry, but we were good. We’ve won games I think we’ve played badly in, and there’s always a discussion to be had, but this was different. This was play well, win, and even end the day in the top six. Imagine, no wins in seven outings, doubt setting in, and yet one game, one afternoon’s football, and we’re back in the play-offs.
We can go into Christmas with renewed positivity and hopefully use the festive period as a platform to put together the second half of the season. If you’d said to me in August that we’d be sixth and in two cup competitions come Christmas Day, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I’d certainly have bitten your hand off for it. I appreciate the recent run hasn’t been ideal, but throughout, I have maintained that we’re doing the right things the right way, we just needed a little something to shift.
Well, something shifted yesterday. Now, bring on the festive cheer, and let’s hope our Boxing Day game against a struggling side doesn’t go the same way it did against Burton a couple of years ago, Guiseley a few seasons back, Crewe not long ago, etc.
Happy Christmas.
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