Ben House’s goal at Bolton Wanderers might have been the decisive moment, but Chris Cohen was just as impressed by everything the Lincoln City striker did around it.
House glanced home Callum Elder’s long throw in the 66th minute to give City a 1-0 victory and their first Championship win of the season, but his afternoon was about far more than the finish.
He spent much of the game battling with Bolton’s back line, pressing, competing for loose balls and making life uncomfortable whenever City were out of possession. It was typical of the sort of performance House has built his reputation on, although Chris believes there is sometimes too much focus on that side of his game.
“Yeah, it’s always mentioned, isn’t it: He’s world-class without the ball,” he said when asked about House’s performance.
“I’m sure no attacker wants to be known as being world-class without the ball. But he is. He’s absolutely magic. Whatever we ask him to do, he does it with a determination I’ve not really seen before.
“He’s a brilliant footballer as well, and maybe that’s probably not mentioned enough in terms of how good he is at football. Technically, very good. Tactically, very astute.
“Delighted for him. He’s had a top, top, top start to the season, and we’re not surprised by it.”
That description fitted House’s afternoon perfectly. There were moments when he was effectively City’s first defender, closing down quickly and forcing Bolton into hurried decisions, while at the other end he kept offering himself as an outlet even when clear chances were difficult to come by.
He kept finding the positions with intelligent runs in behind, and we are going to forgive him a first-half dive that got him a booking, as he got into the position to hit the deck with a clever run!
His goal was class. Rob Street had only just entered the game when his cross was blocked, giving City the chance to load the Bolton penalty area from the resulting long throw. Elder’s delivery bounced awkwardly in front of House, who reacted sharply and guided his header beyond Jack Bonham.
There will always be praise for the running, pressing and aggression because those qualities are so visible in his game, but Cohen’s point was a fair one. House is not simply a striker who works hard. His reading of situations, movement and technical ability all played a part at Bolton, and the goal was the clearest reward for another demanding afternoon.
The truth is, with a yard more of pace and a little bit more of a clinical finish on him, Ben House would be playing week in, week out in the Premier League.
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