Stockport County will be making their way back to Greater Manchester, scratching their heads at how they left the LNER Stadium empty-handed.
Dave Challinor’s side were unable to ends Lincoln City’s unbeaten run despite pushing the Imps all the way.
Business As Usual Early Doors
Michael Skubala’s Imps went into the contest looking for a club record 20th match unbeaten and took the lead after ten minutes through a close-range Jack Moylan goal.
The Irishman signed a new contract earlier in the week, tying him to the club until 2030, and celebrated by poking home after the visitors failed to deal with a knockdown.
Moylan had already had a ferociously struck volley palmed away by Corey Addai in the County goal before notching his eighth of the campaign. The former Shelbourne man now has 12 goal involvements in just 22 League One outings this season.
Far From Plain Sailing
Despite going behind, the visitors managed to wrestle an element of control in the game, without overly troubling their hosts. They had a few efforts from distance, but didn’t force George Wickens in the Lincoln goal into a save of note.
The Imps were pleased to see the half-time break, and supporters would have hoped it would help their side regain a foothold in the game. Instead, possession continued to be dominated by the Hatters, but they were still lacking that killer instinct.
Rob Street hit the Stockport bar from just inside the box moments before Jack Diamond found himself free in the Lincoln box to head home the equaliser. Game on.
At this point, it felt like the three points were there for the taking for the playoff-chasing Hatters, but there was still a chance for the Imps, particularly from set pieces, as Challinor’s side looked less than comfortable.
A Win Of Champions?
In all honesty, Stockport weren’t peppering the City goal but, as the stats will show, were dominating possession and had a chance to take the lead when Diamond again found himself with space in the box. Luckily for Skubala’s men, the former Imps’ loanee guided his left-foot volley wide of the post.
However, it was Stockport’s inability to deal with another Lincoln set piece that led to their undoing. City captain Tendayi Darikwa ran full steam ahead onto a clearance, striking the ball towards goal. His shot looked to be heading into the arms of Addai before a deflection sent it into the back of the net and gave the Imps an 87th-minute lead.
The win was secured in the 5th minute of added time when the Stockport defence failed to deal with a long George Wickens kick, and Alfie Lloyd bundled his way through before slotting neatly home past Addai. Lloyd’s exuberance and knee slide earned him a yellow card, because apparently, a 22-year-old scoring his first goal for his loan club to send them 15 points clear of third isn’t to be celebrated!
That’s now 20 games unbeaten, six wins in a row and nine wins in the last 10 for the Imps, who gave us the clichéd ‘performance of champions’ as they came away with three points when they perhaps shouldn’t have.
Lincoln is now four points clear of Cardiff City and 15 points clear of Bolton Wanderers with just nine games remaining. ‘Tottenham away, ole ole!’