Table Toppers Terrorise Tykes: Barnsley 0-2 Imps

November 11, 2025 Gary EFL Trophy, Lincoln City, Matches, Reports 1

Credit Graham Burrell

Barnsley has been a good hunting ground in recent years for the Imps, and this evening was no exception as we kept up our 100% EFL Trophy group stage record with a third win and a third clean sheet.

Michael Skubala made nine changes from the side that lost to Rotherham United, using the fixture to give key players valuable minutes and returning players a chance to build fitness. As predicted by this site, Oisin Gallagher and Dom Jefferies both got starts, while Jack Moylan returned to the bench.

Barnsley, meanwhile, named a relatively strong team, including David McGoldrick, Davis Keillor-Dunn and Luca Connell. That seemed to give them the early impetus, as they started brightly.

First Half

The hosts began brightly, with Vimal Yogatnathan and Neil Farrugia having early openings before Zach Jeacock was forced into action after nine minutes. The City goalkeeper pushed away Caylan Vickers’ effort after Tendayi Darikwa had blocked the initial strike.

The Imps gradually settled, with an ever-improving Ring winning a corner on 17 minutes after being released down the right by Collins. That started a run of consecutive corners, with Gallagher heading one chance wide and Collins seeing another effort blocked. The final delivery fell to Darikwa, whose shot was also charged down after Okoronkwo nodded the ball back into his path.

Jefferies came close to marking his return with a goal midway through the half after Collins squared for him, but his low shot was well saved by Barnsley keeper Kieren Flavell.

As the half wore on, City looked more comfortable, and while a lack of clinicality in recent weeks has been an issue, box entries and shots have not (damn those stats). Okoronkwo, looking for his first Imps goal, fired over after a nice ball from Oscar Thorn. Thorn looked sharp (pun intended) most of the evening and will have done his chances of splintering the first team no harm at all.

Moments later, Okoronkwo made amends. Darikwa, missing at the weekend through suspension, broke down the right and slipped a ball through to Ring. The Stacey West Patreon-sponsored winger showed composure to take Flavell out of the equation before squaring for Okoronkwo, who converted from close range to make it 1-0. Chalk up an assist to go with his goal at Salford.

Barnsley almost hit back when Luca Connell found space on the edge of the area, but Jeacock got down well to turn his shot away. Ring had another chance for City soon after but fired over as Lincoln continued to control play through to half-time.

Second Half

Jefferies’ phased return ended at the interval as he was. replaced by Justin Obikwu. The forward missed out on a trip to Trinidad this week, instead being forced onto a wet and blustery pitch in South Yorkshire.

City kept up the pressure, the patched-up side of fringe players and returning legs giving Barnsley plenty to think about. Three minutes after the restart, Okoronkwo was denied a second goal when Flavell blocked his low drive with his legs.

At the other end, David McGoldrick tried an ambitious lob from distance after 52 minutes, but his effort drifted wide of Jeacock’s goal. Collins then came close on the hour mark, cutting inside from the left and firing a deflected shot that looped onto the crossbar. It was a decent evening for the striker, who was ten games into a barren spell. Had he made it 11, it would have been his longest run outside of the top two divisions without a goal since he began his career in 2009/10.

Luckily (or, by using his natural ability, you decide), a minute later, he did find the net. Jackson’s header down from a long ball fell to Collins, who took one touch to control and then struck a powerful left-footed volley past the keeper. In recent weeks, we haven’t taken our chances, or we haven’t created the right quality, but we’ve stuck at it, and the two goals showcased both our creativity, and some finishing ability.

The first of many? Let’s hope so.

There was big news just after the hour, as fan favourite Jack Moylan made his return to action, replacing Collins. He immediately looked eager, as he always does, and while his pawprint was not left on this game, it’s still massive to see him back out in City colours. Well, in dark blue, but it the shirt has our badge on it, so you get the gist.

Late on, the fabled depth (which the club has been beaten up about recently, given the Bradford postponement) shone through.  Tom Bayliss, Sonny Bradley and Rob Street all came on to see out the game. For Street, in particular, it showed how far he has come, as he was one of the fringe players looking to make an impression at this stage a year ago.

He tested Flavell after 80 minutes with a low shot that was comfortably held, but the home side struggled to create clear chances as the game went on. That’s as you’d expected from a team already qualified, but knowing at 2-0 down they needed four to top the group.

When the final whistle blew, City’s players could reflect on a professional performance that capped off an impressive group stage campaign.

RankClubMPWDLGFGAGDPts
1Lincoln City33008089
2Barnsley31026603
3Man. United U-21310248-43
4Notts County310226-43

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