‘Clever’ – Lincoln City Boss Responds To Huge Penalty Shout In Huddersfield Draw

Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala believes Josh Feeney was ‘clever’ in the moment he should have conceded a penalty against the Imps last night.

City were 2-1 down at the time, with 67 minutes gone, and a corner caused a bit of panic. The ball dropped to Street, who saw his effort blocked on the line by Feeney.

City players were incensed, and replays showed why. Feeney had clearly handled the ball and immediately held his face, knowing what he’d done and hoping to fool referee Ben Speedie. It worked; the appeals were waved away, leaving Imps players incensed.

After the game, Michael was careful not to blast the officials, but did respond when asked about the incident on BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

“Clever by the player for me,” said Michael, with the benefit of hindsight. “I haven’t seen it back, but it’s clever by the player because he’s handballed it, it’s gone down like it’s hit him in the face, he’s on a yellow card.”

It was a big moment, but in fairness, we have had a couple go our way recently as well – Wickens getting fouled against Luton being one that sticks out. Still, it was blatantly missed by the officials, ironically the same referee who officiated our 2-0 defeat against the Terriers in late 2025.

“I don’t know what position the linesman is in and the referee, maybe they can’t see it, but it’s one of those things,” added Michael.

“We’re not going to get everything. I thought the referee in the main managed the game very well, made some good decisions, but the big one probably got away from him.”

While the manager was laid back about the moment, perhaps easier with a point in his pocket, he revealed that captain Tenayi Darikwa was not. He appeared upset at being taken off, but it wasn’t Michael’s decision that upset him, rather the referee, Ben Speedie’s failure to give the spot kick.

“Tendayi’s so frustrated when he comes off, he’s still talking about the penalty,” said Michael. “That’s what his frustration was. You can see him frustrated, and he wasn’t for coming off; he was fuming about the penalty because it’s moments like that that can cost you.”

Ultimately, it didn’t cost us; we fought back to get the point, and it was Huddersfield left counting the cost, as two dropped points saw Reading replace them in the top six.