The 1-0 Lincoln City victory at Doncaster Rovers will not tell us how prepared the Imps are for the Championship, but it did provide several useful answers on an unusual afternoon.
The result itself was never going to carry much weight; we said the same against Grimsby Town and stand by that. This was a heavily altered Lincoln side containing only a handful of contracted senior players, with the more recognisable first-team group sent to Barnsley for the other half of a pre-season double-header. However, after the heavy defeat at Blundell Park earlier in the week, there was still value in coming away with a clean sheet, a victory and a goal scored by one of the players who may have a role to play this season.
In that sense, we probably extracted as much as we reasonably could from the fixture. The contracted players were largely concentrated in defensive positions, they all came through the game without an obvious setback, Josh Honohan continued his return to fitness and Oscar Thorn scored the only goal. On paper, that represents a productive afternoon.
It also felt much more like a Lincoln City performance than the Grimsby defeat, despite there being considerably fewer Lincoln City players on the pitch.
The Imps operated in a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape, but the significance was not simply the numbers on the formation graphic. This looked like our interpretation of the system: there were recognisable pressing triggers, moments when Doncaster were deliberately encouraged to move the ball towards a full-back and occasions when City’s shape allowed them to regain possession in useful areas.
That cohesion had been missing at Blundell Park, where a more familiar group of players had been asked to operate in a less familiar structure. At Doncaster, the personnel were unusual but the framework around them was not. The team appeared more comfortable in possession, more organised without the ball and more certain about where the next pass should go.
It would be dangerous to draw any sweeping tactical conclusions from a friendly involving so many trialists. Most of those players will not be in City’s team when the Championship begins, and some may never appear for the club again. However, it was still encouraging that the structure remained visible when so many of the individuals within it were unfamiliar.
Doncaster fielded a strong side featuring established EFL performers such as Alfie May, James Husband, Isaac Hutchinson and Hakeeb Adelakun. They had opportunities, particularly during the first half, but we generally defended the penalty area well.
May should probably have scored when Jordan Thomas beat Max Clark and crossed from the right, only for the forward to head over. The former Birmingham City striker was also released by a ball over the top later in the half, but Joe Gauci made the initial save before Clark blocked the rebound.
Those were genuine chances, although Doncaster did not consistently cut us open. City’s defensive work was composed, with the most impressive performance coming from Andrei Coubis on his first appearance.
There had been some uncertainty over Coubis’ height before he arrived. That uncertainty disappeared as soon as the teams emerged. He is enormous, standing noticeably taller than most of the players around him, and his size immediately gives us something different at the back.
The more important point was that he did not look cumbersome. His defending appeared controlled and, at times, almost effortless. He eased Hutchinson away from the ball during one first-half attack, blocked another effort from the same player and showed enough acceleration to move across the pitch without appearing uncomfortable.
There was one second-half moment when Adelakun attempted to carry the ball inside, only for Coubis to move with him and help remove the danger. He was dominant in his defensive duels, assured in possession and willing to step into midfield when the opportunity presented itself.
We did not see many of the driving forward runs that have appeared in footage from his previous clubs, but this was his first match after only a few days in England. The priority was surely to get him onto the pitch, expose him to the shape and allow him to begin forming relationships with his new teammates.
On that basis, it was difficult to find fault with his performance. Friendlies can produce misleading impressions, particularly when the opposition intensity is below competitive level, but Coubis looked like a player operating comfortably within himself. He was our standout Lincoln performer.
His long throw may also become a useful weapon. One first-half delivery was launched towards the penalty spot with little apparent effort, giving City another potential method of applying pressure in the final third. We did not create anything from it on this occasion, but it was easy to imagine that throw becoming more dangerous once the regular attacking players are positioned around it.
Honohan also produced another encouraging display. His minutes are still being managed after his injury, with his withdrawal shortly after the hour appearing to be planned, but he looked aggressive, energetic and increasingly confident.
He carried the ball powerfully, combined well with Coubis and created one of our better first-half situations with a strong run and pass towards Marvin Johnson. The eventual chance was not taken, but Honohan’s contribution was the important part.
There is no need to rush him. Tendayi Darikwa offers experience and reliability at right-back, while the Championship will place considerable physical demands on every defender. However, Honohan increasingly looks capable of providing genuine competition rather than simply depth.
Whether he begins the season in the starting side is less important than ensuring he is available for the months ahead. He has the athleticism, aggression and forward momentum we tend to value in that position. The more minutes he gets through without discomfort, the more significant his role may become.
Thorn was another obvious positive. He had been lively before scoring, delivering two crosses during Lincoln’s early pressure at the start of the second half, and he showed exactly the movement required for the winning goal.
The move began with City retaining possession calmly in their own half. Evan Khouri and Clark helped progress the ball before Johnson was released on the left. His cross travelled through the penalty area and Thorn arrived at the back post to stab it beyond Josh Clarke.
It was a well-constructed goal rather than a fortunate moment. We moved Doncaster across the pitch, created space on the opposite flank and then attacked the area with purpose. Thorn’s responsibility was to arrive at the far post, and he did so.
That sort of movement could help him earn opportunities this season. His pace and direct running offer something that may be particularly valuable in the Championship, where we are likely to spend periods defending before trying to attack the space left behind opponents.
Thorn also has the physical profile that suits the way City sometimes play. We saw diagonal passes aimed towards him on the right, similar to the balls Rob Street was asked to compete for from wider positions last season. Thorn has the height to challenge in the air but also the speed to turn those situations into attacks if we can secure the second ball.
A loan may still be considered at some stage because regular senior football would aid his development. However, with other young players already sent out, there is an argument for keeping Thorn around the first team until January. He can provide pace from the bench, cover across the attacking positions and give the coaching staff time to assess whether he can contribute at Championship level.
If he plays regularly, Lincoln benefit. If opportunities are limited, a loan can be revisited during the winter window. His pre-season involvement suggests he is at least making the decision more difficult.
Matt Smith was the one trialist who appeared to have a realistic possibility of earning a contract, and he did himself no harm. His passing quality had never been the major concern. The question was whether he had the athleticism and defensive intensity required to operate in our midfield.
At Doncaster, he showed more aggression and tenacity than might have been expected. He was not physically dominant, but he competed, pressed and remained involved in the less glamorous side of the game. He also played several intelligent forward passes, including one which released Fejiri Okenabirhie during the first half.
The Championship pedigree is already there in terms of his use of the ball. The decision will probably come down to whether we believe he can handle the demands of their system across a full season, particularly when matches become quicker and more physical.
One friendly should not determine that decision, but Smith looked controlled in midfield and helped give us a degree of composure. Of the trialists involved, he was the player who looked most likely to have strengthened his case.
The wider context of the match remains slightly awkward. Supporters travelled and paid to attend a fixture without knowing until the teams were announced that we would field such an unfamiliar side. There are understandable reasons for how that happened. When the game was arranged, the club likely expected to have close to two complete teams of contracted senior players available. The transfer market has moved more slowly than anticipated, while injuries and minor knocks have reduced the numbers further.
Cancelling the fixture at short notice would have created its own problems, both for Doncaster and for Lincoln’s preparation. Trialists were therefore required to fill the gaps and allow the contracted players involved to receive meaningful minutes.
Had the match been played behind closed doors, few people would have questioned it. As a public friendly, the optics were more difficult. Supporters were entitled to feel disappointed when they saw the team, even if there was no deliberate attempt to mislead anyone.
The result softened that feeling. We won, kept a clean sheet and saw several relevant players perform well. Gauci made the saves expected of him before being replaced by Jamie Pardington, Coubis completed more than 80 minutes, Honohan came through his planned workload and Thorn scored. There was a late concern when Charlie Parks required treatment after being knocked over, appearing to hold his arm, although the extent of any issue was not immediately clear. Aside from that moment, the afternoon largely fulfilled its purpose.
That purpose was limited. This match was primarily about placing minutes into the legs of five or six Lincoln City players. It did not show how the first team will look against Middlesbrough, nor did it answer every concern about the depth of the squad.
The Barnsley fixture carries greater relevance for the immediate starting line-up, while the League Cup tie at Derby County will offer another step towards the opening league game. Our priorities are also changing as a Championship club. Cup matches still matter, but survival at this level carries far greater sporting and financial significance than a League Cup run.
The Doncaster game mattered because Coubis looked assured, Honohan continued his recovery, Thorn demonstrated his potential and Smith made another reasonable case for a contract. It mattered because Lincoln looked organised in their usual structure and avoided another damaging result.
Beyond that, it should remain in perspective. It was a useful afternoon, not a defining one. We achieved what we needed to achieve, and after the doubts created by the team sheet, that represents a job well done.
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