Skubala on Academy Pathway: “We have to be proud of that”

Michael Skubala praised Jovon Makama after his first league goal of the 24/25 campaign and highlighted the club’s Academy pathway.

Makama has been a regular starter for the Imps this season and has performed well above expectations, becoming a key part of Skubala’s set up. The 20-year-old’s performances have been really good, but the goals haven’t come his way up until Saturday’s victory against Leyton Orient, where he got off the mark in the league for the season.

Speaking after the game about the striker, Skubala said: “I thought Jovon today, you saw his quality. He was the only one for more in the first half that looked like he was going to do something for us and I’m proud of him because he’s got his goal.”

Fellow Academy graduates Freddie Draper and Sean Roughan also played their part in the win alongside Makama, with the former scoring his second league goal of the campaign. Skubala praised the club’s Academy system after the game.

He added: “I’m really proud of him because he’s not been getting his goal, but he did today. It was a superb headed finish but then you look Jovon, Freddie and Sean, all Academy players. 

“We have to be proud of that because they’ve come through the Academy and they’re not just leading the line, they’re looking threatening.”