Good Friday Brings 3 Points – Imps 2-0 Cheltenham

Lincoln City picked up a crucial three points yesterday with a great display at home on Easter Friday to Cheltenham Town.

Mark Kennedy switched back to the 3-4-3, moving away from the more pragmatic 3-5-2 approach. I did a big piece the other week about the 3-5-2, it’s a system I like and one that can work in different types of games but against an opposition like Cheltenham, we should be looking to go more offensive so I think Mark was spot on with the change in system. Sean Roughan picked up an injury, which means Harry Boyes stayed in the side. Paudie O’Connor came straight back in after his suspension to partner Adam Jackson and Regan Poole. That all meant Lasse Sorensen kept his place at right-wing back. Ethan Erhahon came into the team and partnered Max Sanders in the middle, meaning Matty Virtue dropped to the bench. Ted Bishop was pushed into attack alongside Danny Mandroiu and Ben House.

The bench was strong once again too. We named a bench of seven and it was a strong seven too, which is great considering the players we have unavailable. Lewis Montsma and Charles Vernam, two very important players for us, are out for the season. We also have TJ Eyoma, who isn’t ready for the bench yet too. Tashan Oakley-Boothe couldn’t make the bench either due to the loan rules, and another loanee had his spell at the club ended. I make that six players that could easily impact the first team squad that were unavailable and we still named a strong bench. In good news for City though, Joe Walsh returned to the matchday squad, which is a positive considering our lack of defensive numbers at the moment.

One thing I really liked about the team yesterday was that only two loan players started. Carl Rushworth is pretty much a given, and Boyes may have not been in the team if we had Roughan fit. As much as I like Virtue, it seems as if he will be going back to Blackpool next season and will either be sold to someone who can afford him or play a part in their League One campaign, so dropping him and starting our own player in midfield is something I like. Sanders is out of contract next season, so giving him that chance in the team is crucial to his chances of securing a new deal and us keeping a player that can certainly do a job for us in the middle of the park.

We started the game really well and we had the majority of the ball. Fans have had mixed opinions of our home record this season. Some view it as we don’t win enough and we draw too many, others will view it as we don’t lose many. I can almost guarantee most teams that visit the Bank will come hoping for a draw because they know we are difficult to beat and we have a good crowd behind us. Cheltenham came with that game plan yesterday, they gave us possession and let us break them down. We normally struggle when teams set up like this but yesterday was completely different.

Bishop and Mandroiu certainly seemed to be the right choices in attack and they were at the centre of everything for us. I was rather critical of Danny a few weeks ago, and it’s almost as if he has taken the criticism from not just me but a lot of the fanbase and proven to us what a good player he is. I spoke about his lack of creativity and willingness to take risks, and yesterday his whole game was about that. He was buzzing around the midfield looking to create opportunities and taking on efforts himself. He is starting to look like a League One footballer and after a pre-season with the team in the summer, he could easily become the first name on the team sheet. Bishop, as we all know, can be an incredible creator and he was showing that yesterday. He had our first real chance of the game, after some good work rate from House but after some twists and turns, the midfielder couldn’t find the bottom corner.

Out of the two sides, we were looking the more likely and we were stepping onto Cheltenham looking to get one before half-time. We did exactly that. A really nice ball from Mandroiu found its way through to Bishop, who showed some good skill to get it under control to move him through on goal. His first effort was blocked but the ball came back to Ted, who found a nice ball across the box to House. Ben had a few swings at it, but he eventually tapped in his tenth goal of the season to send City into a deserved one-goal lead.

We were looking good, but you’d have been stupid to have had confidence that we’d go and finish the game off. We struggle to finish opponents off, especially against teams like Cheltenham so it was always in the back of my mind. Cheltenham came out looking the stronger side, which is expected for five or ten minutes. They piled on the pressure, and they had a good opportunity early in the half, but thankfully Rushworth was on hand to make a good save and deny Alfie May. Despite all the pressure though, Cheltenham had no meaningful efforts at goal. Our back five defended really well, Boyes and Sorensen were excellent at following their runners, and the three in the middle were just like a brick wall and Cheltenham couldn’t break that down.

There was a blow in the fifty-fifth minute though. We lost Ted because of a hamstring injury, which looking at previous hamstring injuries in the squad, it could be pretty much season over for Ted unless it was just a small knock. Mide Shodipo came on in his place and that completely changed the game. I like Mide, I thought he has always tried to make an impact but yesterday was easily his best outing in an Imps’ shirt. He offered something different to Ted, he didn’t look for a killer pass, he looked to move forward and take on players. Cheltenham couldn’t get near him at all, and in my opinion, he won the game for us.

Shodipo coming on changed the game back into our favour. As soon as he came on only one team looked like they were going to win. He managed to get himself a few efforts on goal, which were saved but we were getting closer to that crucial second goal. We soon did, Rushworth’s kick was scuffed by Alfie May, who was trying to impede the keeper all the game but this time it helped us. The ball fell to O’Connor and some smart play between Luke Plange, Erhahon, Virtue, Shodipo and Sorensen saw the ball played through to Shodipo in the box. City’s superb substitute pulled the ball back to House in achers of space and the City striker fired home his eleventh of the season to seal the three points for City.

It was certainly a Good Friday. Sincil Bank packed with over 8,000 fans, despite many telling me that attendances are falling, in the sunshine on a bank holiday watching City secure three points to take a step closer to officially securing their League One status for next season. It was the perfect day and one that all but secures our League One status next season.

We move onto Plymouth on Monday, and hopefully, we can go and get ourselves something against a really good side that look destined for promotion.