Lincoln City U18s made it back-to-back victories with a hard-fought victory over Bradford City U18s at the Gen2 Energy Elite Performance Centre.
While the men’s first team aren’t in action this weekend, the international break doesn’t impact the youth side, who put in an impressive rearguard performance to see off a stubborn Bantams side.
City named no fewer than seven trialists in their starting XI, with Kian Sagoo the only first-year scholar starting. And that showed in the early exchanges, with the Bantams forcing some early pressure on Isaac Shaw’s goal. Three of the forward trialists combined well to force an opening for City’s number 10, who cut inside to force the visiting goalkeeper into action.
🔢 Sam Tillen’s side to face Bradford City. pic.twitter.com/TpV67esCid
— Lincoln City Academy (@LCFCAcademy) March 28, 2026
Bradford Eventually Make Pressure Count
It was that same combination which saw Lincoln break the deadlock after a quarter of an hour. Trialist D slipped through Trialist F, catching the keeper off guard with a dinked finish from distance, which he could only palm into the net.
It’s only right to mention the conditions at the EPC, which caused havoc throughout the 90 minutes. The EPC is an open space at the best of times, with the wind forcing both teams to adapt their gameplay or face being caught out. A moment of miscommunication at the back allowed the visitors’ number seven to loft the ball over Shaw, but wide of the mark.
The West Yorkshire outfit continued to step up their pressure, with the same player again involved in pouncing on a loose touch, but Shaw bailed his defender out. Another of the Bantams attackers sent the ball over City’s goalkeeper, but the ball drifted wide before he could have the easiest of taps in. Before the interval, Bradford’s number nine had an even better opportunity to bring them on terms. After Trialist C gave away a penalty, he stepped up, sent Shaw the wrong way, only to see his effort cannon off the post.
After a rare Imps foray forward, the Bantams finally found their equaliser deep in first-half stoppage time. Corner kicks had caused the young Imps some issues already in the half, and there was a moment of redemption for the visiting number nine, who was quickest to react from that set-piece.
Lincoln Fight Back
City came alive ten minutes into the second period, putting the away defence under some real pressure. And a moment of magic from Mason Jubb restored Lincoln’s lead. From nothing, the young midfielder sent a terrific effort into the top left-hand corner from the edge of the area. That sparked a period of intense Imps pressure, as Trialist B went close from an audacious wind-assisted shot from near the halfway line.
Bradford’s keeper was called into action from successive set-pieces as Lincoln looked to kill the game. At the other end, the Bantams’ seven muscled his way through some Imps defenders, only to go for goal when a pass across goal looked the better option. The visiting shot-stopper was the most relieved man at the EPC when a back pass went under his foot but narrowly wide of goal.
Midway through the second period, the Bradford onslaught arrived. Shaw produced a good stop with his feet to prevent the visitors drawing level again, then he topped that with a superb diving intervention at his near post to keep out an acrobatic effort. The West Yorkshire outfit twice hit the woodwork in the space of ten second-half minutes, but it just wasn’t to be their day infront of goal in Lincolnshire.
Twelve minutes of stoppage time were played, in which City’s number three was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident. But that wasn’t to deny the young Imps a second successive three-point haul, climbing up to 17th in Youth Alliance standings.
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