Lincoln City kicked off their FA Youth Cup Campaign against Doncaster Rovers Academy with a convincing 3-1 victory after a nervy start to the game.
Tayo Tucker, Nathan Kabeya and Julian Donnery all scored for the young Imps securing the Imps’ side’s place into the next round of the cup.
In a tight affair, the young Imps had already faced Rovers this month when they drew 0-0 in the U18 Professional Development League Cup.
Head coach Ash Foyle had promised supporters “good value for money” and his young side delivered on this promise.
Kick Off:
It only took two minutes for the Imps to get into the game as Louis Nesbitt struck it on the volley towards the bottom left corner, Jake Oram saving it for the Rovers.
Jack Goodman struck first in the eighth minute to put Doncaster ahead. An intelligent run-in behind gave the striker time to hit a vicious volley towards the goal which was too much for goalkeeper Isaac Allan to keep out.
Tayo Tucker went close for the Imps in the 19th minute with a clever drop of the shoulder and turn got him away from his marker. His right-footed shot from just outside the area narrowly missed the post.
Goodman looked like he could have got his brace as the Rovers striker once again found himself in on goal again. His shot breezed past the post as the Imps sighed a breath of relief.
In the 40th minute, MJ Kamara had a golden opportunity to draw the Imps level. His strike from a corner was goalbound before a Doncaster deflection took the ball over the bar.
MJ Kamara was once again in the thick of it as his goalbound header was cleared off the line in the 43rd minute. The young Imps were beginning to get a grasp of the game with a succession of corners.
Jack Raper picked up the first card of the game with a professional foul to halt the Imps counterattack right at the end of the first half.
Deep into added time, some decisive interplay between Kyrell Wheatley and Louis Nesbitt saw Nesbitt through on goal before his right-footed strike
With seconds left of the first half, Tayo Tucker buried his chance into the bottom right corner after a smart pullback from Julian Donnery. The Imps got their deserved equalizer at the brink of half-time.
Half-time: Lincoln City Academy 1-1 Doncaster Rovers Academy
A cynical foul by Charlie Petch on Bailey Adamson saw the
Rovers man pick up a knock. The subsequent free kick for City blasted straight into the keepers’ hands. The game remained a tense affair into the early stages of the second half.
City’s left-hand side was causing Doncaster all sorts of problems. This time Osei Boffah’s mesmerising dribbling saw him get past two men before slotting in Adamson. His near-post shot earned City a corner in the 54th minute.
Adamson at the heart of the Lincoln attack again found himself 6 yards out from goal after a lovely turn got him away from his man. Rovers shot-stopper Oram was there to parry his chance out for a City corner again.
Boffah picked up the Imp’s first yellow card of the night after kicking the ball away to deny Rovers a kick throw in on the 61st minute.
Doncaster was the first side to make a change in the 69th minute to shift the tide of the game back into their favour with Harry Wood coming to replace Faris Khan.
Wood would then be given his marching orders. The Doncaster player made a dangerous challenge in under a minute and received subsequent a straight red card.
Captain Oisin Gallagher struck the post with a powerful free kick from 25 yards out. Oram was scrambling across his goal to reach the shot. Lincoln, now with the man advantage, was dominating the game.
Lincoln capitalised on their man advantage in the 76th minute with Nathan Kabeya blasting the ball into the top left from a corner. The young fullback was jubilated with his goal, performing the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo celebration. 2-1 Lincoln.
Denny Oliver came on for the Imps replacing Wheatley up top to maintain their sides’ constant pressure.
Against the run of play Thomas Parkinsons’ created a chance out of nothing, darting through the city defence. It fell to Josh Lindley who squandered a golden opportunity to draw level with three minutes left to play.
In the dying embers of stoppage time, City held out defending well against Goodman’s run and strike on goal. City subsequently conceded a corner but headed it far and clear away.
With Doncaster throwing men forward Lincoln caught them out on the counter to put the game to bed. Julian Donnery with time and space in the box slotted it past the stranded Jake Oram to make it 3-1. A composed finish deserving of winning any cup tie.
Full-time: Lincoln City Academy 3-1 Doncaster Rovers Academy
A hard-fought comeback saw the Imps progress and Head coach Ash Foyle will be pleased with how his young side faced an early setback.