The Under 18s FA Youth Cup run came to a dramatic end as they were edged out on penalties by Plymouth Argyle after an enthralling 2-2 draw over 120 minutes at Home Park.
Despite an inspired comeback from the Imps, it was Argyle who advanced to the fifth round, leaving Lincoln to rue missed opportunities. With a squad hit severely by injuries, and a number of younger age group players on the field at the end, including three Under 16s and an Under 14, it was a brave effort after a long journey for the youngsters.
The evening began with the Imps showing composure in a tightly contested first half. However, it was Plymouth who struck first. A well-worked move down the right culminated in Cole Fisher delivering a precise cross that found Fletcher Poole at the far post. The young forward reacted swiftly, heading the ball into the net to give the hosts the lead.
Lincoln City goalkeeper Jaden Taylor was kept busy as Plymouth pressed for a second before the break. Yet, the Imps managed to limit the damage, heading into halftime only 1-0 down.
Imps Rally After Falling Behind
After halftime, the Pilgrims doubled their advantage through their captain, Josh Sullivan. A free kick from Fisher found Harry Shield, whose clever header set up Sullivan for an acrobatic finish, leaving Taylor with no chance. At 2-0 down, City faced an uphill battle.
The Imps, however, refused to go quietly. They were handed a lifeline just minutes later when Gbolahan Okewoye drew a controversial penalty, despite protests from Joe Mwaro, who appeared to cleanly win the ball. Zane Okoro stepped up confidently, burying the spot-kick to bring Lincoln back into the game.
Spurred on by the goal, Lincoln continued to press and were rewarded in the 70th minute. A defensive lapse by Plymouth allowed Okewoye to pounce, setting up substitute Jaxon Tomak for a simple finish to level the score at 2-2.
Lincoln appeared the more likely side to find a winner in the closing stages of regulation time. Tomak came close with a powerful effort that was well saved by Dan Holman in the Argyle goal, ensuring the game went to extra time.
Late Drama and Penalty Shootout
Extra time was a cagey affair, with neither side able to find the decisive goal. City came closest in the dying moments when Taylor clawed away Frankie Maund’s audacious lob. The match would ultimately be decided from the penalty spot.
The shootout began with both teams converting their opening three penalties. For Lincoln, Okoro, Tomak, and Gbolahan Okewoye were on target, while Fisher, Shield, and Seb Campbell scored for the hosts. The tide turned when Holman denied Carter Ford, leaving Argyle with the advantage.
Although substitute Jared Rendle put Argyle ahead, Okewoye kept Lincoln’s hopes alive with a composed finish. However, the decisive moment came when Tegan Finn stepped up for Plymouth, drilling his penalty high into the corner to secure their place in the next round.
The defeat was hard to take for the young Imps, who were aiming for a first-ever fifth-round appearance. The long trip, and injuries meant they were up against it, and ultimately couldn’t quite get over the line, despite the valiant fightback.
“It’s been a very good campaign,” said coach Sam Tillen. “One that we’ve learned a great deal from. It’s a very difficult way to go out of the game, but I think everything from the boys was on show tonight in terms of the character they showed to get back in the game.
From 2–0 down, the way they kept going. The fact that we ended up with Louis on, with Josh Kennealey on, with Jaxon, who’s only 14, and the impact they made alongside our other players. We really dug deep for 120 minutes to try and get the result. Once you went to 2–2, it felt like we had a bit of momentum, that we were going to get there.”
“That’s probably why it stings a little bit, having not gone all the way. But it’s a fantastic learning curve for the boys. Hopefully, they can draw on this experience in the future.”
“We haven’t had a game since the 14th of December, so this was the first one back. Maybe that told a little bit, but they kept going. They’ve worked really hard over the Christmas break to maintain their fitness. That was evident, and I thought we looked strong in extra time.”
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