Sonny Bradley was voted the Stacey West readers’ Man of the Match following Lincoln City’s 1-0 victory against Preston North End at Deepdale.
Freddie Draper’s winner secured our first victory at the ground since 1995, with a determined defensive performance providing the foundation for three valuable Championship points. Preston put us under pressure, particularly before the break, but we limited their clear opportunities before growing into the game after half-time.
Bradley finished top of our player ratings with an average score of 8.14, narrowly ahead of Draper on 8.07 and Deji Elerewe on 8.06. Andrei Coubis and Adam Reach completed the top five, with the strong defensive representation reflecting the importance of our work at the back.
Our captain was a behemoth in the middle of the defence, alongside excellent performances from Elerewe and Coubis. His presence helped us weather Preston’s stronger spells and remain in a position to take advantage when the momentum shifted.
Sonny Bradley v Preston North End in numbers
Bradley’s Wyscout numbers highlight the importance of his anticipation and positioning. Across the 94 minutes recorded, he made nine interceptions, repeatedly getting himself into position to break up Preston’s attacks.
He also contributed eight clearances and recovered possession 13 times, including once in the opposition half. Those figures underline how regularly he was involved in dealing with danger and helping us regain the ball during a demanding away fixture.
His aerial record was faultless, winning both of the contests he faced. Overall, he won three of his five duels, with one successful defensive duel from three attempts alongside those two aerial wins. It was his interceptions, recoveries and clearances that accounted for much of his defensive contribution.
Bradley also completed the game without conceding a foul or receiving a card. That helped us avoid giving Preston additional set-piece opportunities, with our captain combining his physical presence with a disciplined performance.
Sonny Bradley — where he played this match. Brighter areas are where he spent most time; he is attacking left to right.
Composure in possession
There was plenty to like about Bradley’s distribution as well. He completed 48 of his 53 passes, giving him an accuracy rate of 91%, and successfully completed 57 of his 70 recorded actions overall.
His long passing was less consistent, with one of four attempts finding a teammate, but his overall return showed how reliable he was when moving the ball around. In a game where we had to work hard to regain possession, that accuracy was a useful part of his contribution.
There were eight losses of possession, five of them in our own half, so it was not an entirely spotless display on the ball. However, his combination of accurate passing and defensive interventions helped us negotiate Preston’s pressure and keep the contest level until we could find the breakthrough.
It was a collective effort, with Dom Jefferies adding a vital goal-line clearance immediately after coming on. Bradley’s performance was central to it, but the narrow margins in the readers’ ratings also recognise the contributions around him.
Readers’ top five
| Readers’ Top Five | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Rating |
| 1 | Sonny Bradley | 8.14 |
| 2 | Freddie Draper | 8.07 |
| 3 | Deji Elerewe | 8.06 |
| 4 | Andrei Coubis | 7.90 |
| 5 | Adam Reach | 7.58 |
Just 0.08 separated the top three, with Draper’s decisive goal and Elerewe’s defensive work both earning strong recognition. Coubis and Reach also impressed as we found a way to turn a difficult afternoon into another away victory.
Bradley takes the award for a performance that gave us strength and composure at the heart of the defence. Nine interceptions, eight clearances and 13 recoveries tell much of the story: our captain helped ensure that when our chance arrived at the other end, one goal was enough.
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