Lincoln City took their chances to beat Derby County 2-0 in a game that was full of opportunities for both sides. Jack Diamond slotted home from the penalty spot in the first half, before Ben House stopped Derby in their tracks with a delicate finish past Joe Wildsmith to end the contest.
Imps Head Coach Mark Kennedy made three changes from the Imps’ 2-0 defeat against Cambridge with Matty Virtue and Jack Diamond making their first league starts for Lincoln, while Jordon Garrick returned from injury.
Kick Off
In the game’s early moments, Derby looked the more comfortable of the two sides, enjoying prolonged spells of possession in the middle of the pitch. With James Collins recording the first shot on goal. But his tame volley was easily collected by Carl Rushworth in the Imps net.
However, against the run of play it was Lincoln who took a surprising early lead. On the 12th minute mark, winger Jack Diamond received the ball deep in the Derby box, and with a quick turn to his right-hand side, the Sunderland Loanee found a yard of space. Before he could shoot, Diamond was brought down in the box. Referee Thomas Kirk awarded the penalty and the Imps were in dreamland.
Diamond stepped up to take the penalty, and with conviction buried the ball in the bottom left corner. 1-0 Lincoln.
After the opener, the Rams re-established control of the football. With promising signs coming from both wingers, Lewis Dobbin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. As TJ Eyoma at right-back struggled to contain Dobbin.
Derby did have their fair share of chances in the first period. It was again Dobbin and Collins who combined to put the ball in the Lincoln net. However, much to the dismay of the 2,064 strong Derby contingent located in the Stacey West Stand, Collins was found to be in an offside position and the goal was chalked off.
Replacing Tom Hopper in the number 9 role for the Imps was Ben House. House who was playing in his natural position after a number of games in midfield, brought energy to the Imps’ pressing- much like Hopper before him. Winning the ball high up the pitch, he played in Oakley-Boothe who then found Diamond. However, the Imps goal scorer couldn’t create a chance.
Half time
10 minutes into the second period, the game really came alive. Mirroring more of a Basketball game than a Football one. The spell started when Eiran Cashin was booked after chopping down Ben House just outside the box. With the resulting delivery from Sorensen being met by a glancing header by O’Connor. However, Joe Wildsmith saved comfortably in the Rams goal.
Ben House was growing more and more into the game, as the forward showed a moment of trickery to get a shot off between the two Derby centre-halves. His eventual effort however didn’t test Wildsmith.
At the other end, Sean Roughan recklessly brought down Mendez Laing. The resulting ball was put into a dangerous area and without a goal-line clearance from O’Connor, Derby would’ve equalised.
Rams Interim Manager Liam Rosenior must’ve wondered what his side had to do to score, after Derby had another goal ruled out for offside. This time Derby pounced on a sloppy pass from the Imps and found themselves 3v1 bearing down on the Lincoln penalty area. The ball was worked well to Mendez-Laing, who fired into the roof of the net. Before Anthony Da Costa raised his flag on the sideline.
Lincoln then killed the game off. Diamond picked the ball up on the left and glided into the penalty area to fire a shot that was blocked by Cashin. The rebound fell to Ben House who was in the right place at the right time and dug the ball out from under his feet, slotting the ball past a helpless Joe Wildsmith. 2-0 Lincoln
At that point, the game was effectively over. Derby did muster up a number of chances after the second goal. But couldn’t find the clinical edge to score. A disappointing result for the Rams, in a game where they should’ve come away with at least a point and had plenty of chances to even go on and win the game.
Imps fans on the other hand will be delighted with the somewhat unexpected win. Injury concerns have however grown as a result of the game, with player of the season so far, Ted Bishop, forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury.
Next in the League for Lincoln, is Bristol Rovers away on Saturday.