Lincoln City sank to a 2-1 defeat at Sincil bank this afternoon, after a quickfire double after half-time turned the game on its head.
Swasnea City went top of the Championship table with the win, while the Imps were left wondering what might have been after being the better team for much of the encounter.
City made three changes to the side victorious on Tuesday. night. Andrei Coubis, fresh from his call-up to the Romanian side, replaced Dom Jefferies, while League One stalwarts Reeco Hackett and Tom Bayliss came in for Ivan Varfolomeev and Chieo Ogbene.
Lincoln made a bright start and created the first opening inside two minutes. A long throw was not properly cleared by Swansea and Reeco Hackett reacted quickest, striking through a crowd of bodies and forcing Lawrence Vigouroux down low to make the save.
The pressure continued almost immediately. Freddie Draper drove forward and delivered a deep cross which Vigouroux came to punch clear, before another long throw caused problems in the Swansea area. This time Deji Elerewe climbed to meet it, but his header looped up and dropped comfortably into the goalkeeper’s arms. City were carrying the greater threat in the opening exchanges, with Swansea struggling to deal with the direct pressure.
Another set piece arrived after five minutes, Hackett sending a deep free kick towards the back post. Andrei Coubiș attacked it, but could only get underneath the ball and send his effort over. Moments later, Ben House became the first player booked after being penalised for a challenge on Filip Lissah, although it looked a particularly harsh decision with the Swansea defender making the most of the contact.
Swansea then offered their first real threat in unusual fashion. Elijah Just spotted George Wickens off his line and tried his luck from around 50 yards, forcing the City goalkeeper into a smart save as the ball threatened to catch him out.
City were soon back on the attack. Tom Bayliss drifted another free kick into the Swansea box and Sonny Bradley looked poised to meet it, only for the ball to be nicked away from his head. The referee nevertheless awarded Swansea a free kick, another decision which left City frustrated. That frustration grew when Bayliss was then caught by a heavier challenge moments later without any yellow card being shown.
The game became increasingly scrappy, with the referee firmly at the centre of proceedings. Stephen Eustaquio went down apparently injured after 19 minutes, but City elected to play on and Draper was unable to make the most of the resulting opportunity. Swansea were unhappy that play had continued, although Eustaquio was quickly back to his feet.
A minute later, Hackett went close again. City recycled possession well after House battled to keep the attack alive, allowing Hackett to strike cleanly from range. His effort flew wide, rippling the side netting on its way past. Vigouroux then took too long over the restart and the referee instead awarded City a corner, from which Coubiș sent a header goalwards that appeared to be cleared from close to the line.
City were threatening constantly by this stage. House won another ball forward and helped create an opening for Hackett, who tried to lift his effort over the advancing Vigouroux. The Swansea goalkeeper managed to gather at the second attempt, but it was another excellent chance for the Imps during a sustained spell of pressure.
Ryley Towler went into the book after 25 minutes for a shirt pull, a decision which was difficult to argue with. Swansea’s resulting free kick was taken several yards further forward than the original offence, but City escaped without punishment when the delivery was headed over.
Draper’s work rate continued to cause Swansea problems. On the half-hour mark, the striker chased what looked like a lost cause as the visitors attempted to shield the ball out of play, somehow kept it alive, won possession and then drew a foul. It was excellent work from Draper, although Bayliss’ resulting free kick drifted harmlessly over.
The referee remained a major feature of the half. After penalising Swansea for taking too long over a throw, he then crossed to the visitors’ technical area and booked a member of their coaching staff, with increasingly little happening without some form of intervention from the official.
City’s pressure finally brought its reward in the 38th minute. Draper brought the ball under control inside the area and looked to be through one-on-one, only for Josh Tymon to foul him and leave the referee with a penalty decision. Hackett stepped up and emphatically smashed the spot kick beyond Vigouroux, giving the Imps a deserved 1-0 lead.
As half time approached, City fans broke out into a chorus of ‘we’re on our way’, but instead of the Football League, it was Premier League. That’s something Lincoln City fans never, ever thought they’d be singing, in jest or otherwise.
Swansea sought to turn the screw as the half entered it’s dying stages, with two long range efforts blocked by Bradley, before the same player headed a cross away.
Only players who registered this stat are listed — somebody on nought tackles is not part of a tackle ranking, and padding the table with them buries the players who did something. Bars are scaled to the best figure shown; this is a within-match ranking, not a league-wide one.
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