Late Drama at the Bank – Imps 2-2 Barnsley

Michael Skubala’s Imps picked up a late point on Saturday against Barnsley at Sincil Bank.

For his first home game in charge of City, Skubala made a few changes to the side that won against Leyton Orient during the week. Lukas Jensen started in goal behind an unchanged back three – TJ Eyoma, Adam Jackson and Alex Mitchell. Jack Burroughs returned to the side, replacing Dylan Duffy who played at left wing-back during the week. Lasse Sorensen and Ethan Erhahon also kept their places at right wing-back and in midfield respectively, while Ali Smith was shifted into the middle to replace the suspended Ethan Hamilton. Hakeeb Adelakun kept his place in attack, while Danny Mandroiu made his way back into the starting eleven. The biggest news of the day though was Jovon Makama starting his first League One game for the Imps after an impressive cameo on Tuesday night. Ted Bishop returned to the bench for City after a fairly lengthy spell on the sidelines, while Jaden Brown had recovered from an illness that saw him miss out against Leyton Orient.

We started the game the better of the two sides, and for the first time in a while we scored early doors. After a neat piece of play, Burroughs was found on the left hand side. The wing-back did well when he received the ball and managed to win the Imps a penalty – our first in open play since we played Blackpool in August. On first glance, I thought it wasn’t in the area but after rewatching it, the referee, Ross Joyce, got it spot on. I loved the passion from Burroughs when he won the penalty, he certainly looked like a player back in form on Saturday.

Mandroiu had a great game on Tuesday and it feels as if he’s on his way back after a tough few months after some inspiring form in the first few weeks of the season. The Irishman stepped up for the penalty and made no mistake from the spot to put the Imps into the lead. Another player that had a great game was Makama, and he nearly stole all the headlines in the 18th minute. After some good pressing work from the striker, Tykes’ defender Mael de Gevigney slipped allowing Makama to be through on goal. The 19-year-old just couldn’t apply the finish, hitting the ball straight at the Barnsley keeper.

Barnsley had a few half chances, but they weren’t troubling Jensen, much to the annoyance of the 1,800 travelling fans. We also struggled to get chances in front of goal, but there was a half chance towards the end of the half. It was a nice counter attacking team move, that started with Jackson. The defender played the ball to Erhahon, before the midfielder unleashed Mandroiu down the left hand side. Mandroiu’s ball low into the box from the left and a touch from a Barnsley defender ensured Sorensen couldn’t tap the ball into the net.

The first half was pretty evenly matched but we were the side that was ahead going into the break, and that’s what matters. There was good performances all over the pitch, but there was also play breaking down in attack, which is expected with the number of absences we have in the final third.

With no changes at the break from Skubala, we started the second half with some real intensity and we should’ve been 2-0 up just a few minutes after. Sorensen’s effort from range caused issues in the box, and the ball broke to Makama just a few yards out from goal. The striker couldn’t sort his feet out, meaning he couldn’t get an effort on goal. It was a golden chance, but it’s an unlucky one for the young striker. He deserved a goal for his efforts yesterday, because much like Tuesday night, his overall game was excellent.

After such a positive 55/60 minutes, Barnsley almost turned the game around in an instant. The first goal came following a throw in the Barnsley attacking third. Adelakun is slow to close down the man receiving the ball, and then in turn is to slow to block the cross into the area. The blame can’t be fully put on Adelakun though, as the defending at the back post is also soft. It’s not a great goal to concede, it starts with some poor concentration from Adelakun, who it’s worth noting was one of the hardest working players on the pitch barring that moment, and then it ends with a soft piece of defending to allow the Barnsley man to be free at the back post. Hopefully they are the sort of goals that Skubala can help us prevent.

The second goal is also preventable. We lose the ball in the middle and then a simple ball to the far post is played. Sorensen is outnumbered at the back stick, and former Grimsby man John McAtee fired home. Barnsley struggled to create for the previous 60 minutes and then they suddenly managed to score two goals in the space of six minutes, with both goals poorly defended.

Skubala has promised that we will go for games if we are losing, and we did exactly that on Saturday. Sorensen went off injured, so we switched to a 4-2-3-1, with Mandroiu, Duffy, Shodipo and Vale across the forward line. Rewind just over a month, and Mark Kennedy brought on a central defender in a like for like change when were 1-0 down at home to Burton, so this is a massive positive for me. With 4 across the forward line and Ted Bishop coming on in midfield, I always felt we had a goal in us and towards the end we got that goal.

Set pieces haven’t been our friend so far this season. We’ve struggled to defend them, we rarely take advantage of them in the attacking third but Skubala has seemed to already identify that based off his comments in the press so to score a last gasp equaliser from a corner felt like evidence of the work the new head coach has done on the training ground. The ball from Mandroiu caused problems in the box. An Imps head connected with the cross, forcing the Barnsley ‘keeper to parry the ball away back into the box, where it fell to Eyoma. The central defender, who is now our longest serving player (including the 19/20 loan spell), smashed his volley home into the net to earn us a really well earned point at Sincil Bank.

If a point had been offered before kick-off, many would’ve taken it. Barnsley are last seasons play-off finalists and they’ll be right up there this season too. I think the level of effort shown since Skubala has come in has been exceptional and once he’s able to make more changes and imprint his style on the lads, we could be a really good side that has a chance of challenging near the playoffs. At the moment it’s all potential but there’s nothing wrong with hoping.

Travelling to Cambridge on Tuesday will be tough but it’s a game that I think we could win before a good break for the team with no game on the weekend. Shodipo could be a shoe-in to start on Tuesday night, as I thought he impressed in his brief cameo, and despite a number of injuries in the attacking areas, it feels as if we’ve got decent competition with Duffy also pushing for a another start with Mandroiu back in form too. Jack Vale is likely to come back in, and it will be interesting to see what role Bishop plays too.

I’m feeling positive at the moment, there’s real belief around the ground in this new project and long may it continue. Up the Imps!