Lincoln City won 1-0 in a friendly against Doncaster Rovers, but it was an unfamiliar team that snatched the narrow win.
The Imps included six trialists in the line-up, only perhaps one of which has a serious shot of securing a deal. Record signing Andrei Coubiș also got his first outing, along with another run-out for Josh Honohan. The Imps lined up Joe Gauci, Max Clark, Coubiș, Adam Jackson, Marvin Johnson, Matt Smith, Mickel Miller, Oscar Thorn, Fejiri Okenabirhie, Honohan and Evan Khouri. Subs were mainly youngsters: Lewy Oliver, Charlie Parks, Jamie Pardington, Donald Inyama, Leo Fifield and Isaac Shaw.
Doncaster Rovers featured some familiar faces and looked ominously strong. James Husband, Alfie May, Isaac Hutchinson and former Imp Hakeeb Adelakun all started. One-time Imps target Brandon Hanlan featured among the subs.
Much of the talk before the game was around the possible exit of midfielder Jack Moylan, linked with a move to fellow promoted side Cardiff City, and striker Mikkel Ladefoged, apparently incoming from Västerås. However, nothing was solid as the teams came out for the game.
Doncaster created the first opening after five minutes as Jordan Thomas beat Clark and delivered a cross for May, but the striker headed over. The hosts threatened again seven minutes later when a move down the right ended with Hutchinson finding Harry Clifton, whose volley flew well wide.
Coubiș made his first significant contribution in the 13th minute, easing Hutchinson off the ball in a dangerous area. Doncaster then fashioned another half-chance when a curling cross beat everyone in the middle, as well as Thomas arriving at the back post.
Husband was forced off after 25 minutes, with Jack Senior replacing him, before we registered their first chance of the afternoon. Miller saw a shot blocked and the loose ball fell to Johnson, who lifted his effort over from around 12 yards.
Smith then released Okenabirhie with a well-weighted pass, but Josh Clarke was quickly off his line to clear for a throw. Miller tested the goalkeeper moments later with a strike from distance, although it was straight at Clarke.
Doncaster continued to threaten from set pieces, with Tom Nixon nodding a corner against a defender before the second delivery sailed beyond everyone. At the other end, a deep Lincoln free kick reached Honohan at the far post, but he was unable to keep the ball in play.
Coubiș then displayed the range of his long throw, launching the ball comfortably towards the penalty spot, although Doncaster dealt with the danger. The defender was involved again soon afterwards, combining with Honohan before the latter powered forward and picked out Johnson, who was unable to react quickly enough and the chance was cleared.
City were given a warning in the 37th minute when a ball over the top released May clean through. Gauci made the initial save before Clark blocked the rebound to prevent Doncaster from opening the scoring.
Hutchinson had another effort blocked by Coubiș two minutes later, while Thorn took the pace out of a further strike from the midfielder shortly before the interval, allowing Gauci to gather. That was the final meaningful action of the first half, meaning City went in 0-0 at the break.
Doncaster made two changes at the break, with Owen Bailey and Seán Grehan replacing Neill Byrne and Hutchinson.
It was City began the second half on the front foot, with Thorn delivering two early crosses following good work from Honohan, who had impressed down the right.
City took the lead in the 49th minute with a well-worked goal that began with patient possession at the back. Khouri, Clark and Johnson were all involved before Johnson drove a cross into the area, where Thorn arrived at the far post to stab the ball home.
Doncaster looked for an immediate response as Adelakun beat two defenders before firing well over Gauci’s goal. Lincoln then created a double opportunity, with Okenabirhie unable to beat Clarke before Khouri’s header was held by the goalkeeper.
Doncaster made four more changes two minutes later. Bayley McCann, Leon Ayinde, George Broadbent and Jamie Sterry replaced Thomas, Nixon, Adelakun and Darren Robinson.
McCann quickly found space in behind and attempted to pull the ball back, but Gauci read the danger and cut out the cross. Lincoln then replaced Honohan with Parks after 66 minutes.
Doncaster threatened again when Sterry’s cross found May near the penalty spot, but the striker shot straight at Gauci. Ayinde then carried the ball across the pitch before trying his luck from distance, although his effort was comfortably dealt with by the Lincoln goalkeeper.
After that, subs took centre stage, not in terms of action, just as in a lot happened. McGrath and May were replaced by Hanlan and Pawlak after 73 minutes, while Inyama came on for Miller for the Imps.
Pardington replaced Gauci in the 80th minute, with the change not injury-related. Fifield and Oliver were introduced three minutes later in place of Coubis and Okenabirhie. Coubis had been Lincoln’s standout performer.
Sterry then delivered a cross which Pardington dealt with comfortably. Parks was knocked over shortly afterwards, leading to a brief stoppage while he received treatment. Sadly, that treatment did not solve the issue, and he left the field with an injury to his arm.
Ayinde, a real threat after coming on, got away down the right against City’s ten men late on, but fired well over the keeper’s goal. The same player tried his luck on 90 minutes, again weaving into space, but this time dragging a half-chance wide of Pardington’s goal.
In injury time, youngster Fifield gave the ball away, then made a rash challenge to win it back, resulting in a free kick 25 yards out, but the free kick was saved by Pardington before the whistle sounded.
The attendance was 2,455, with 306 visitors making the trip from Lincoln, with some of us then heading off to Barnsley, 40 minutes away.
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