Lincoln City played the last half an hour against Bolton Wanderers with 10-men, but managed to hold on to a 1-1 draw through a resolute and stern defensive display.
Lincoln’s last game of the year was a dramatic one. It was packed with incidents and flared emotions, especially in the second half.
Mark Kennedy rang the changes to the side that convincingly fell 3-0 at struggling Burton Albion on Boxing Day, with Ben House, Danny Mandroiu, Lasse Sorensen and TJ Eyoma all coming into the side.
Bolton Wanderers also made three changes, following a goalless draw against fellow promotion-chasers, Derby County. MJ Williams, Kieran Sadlier and Kyle Dempsey all came into the side, looking to strengthen their grip on a playoff spot.
Before kick-off, Lincoln City sat 14th in League One, desperate for an up-tick in form after only 1 win in their last 7 league games. Meanwhile, Ian Evatt’s Bolton sat tenuously in 5th, following 2 wins, 2 draws and a defeat in their last 5 league outings.
Lincoln wore their black away strip for this game, supporting Shelter’s #NoHomeKit campaign that has seen teams up and down the pyramid where their away kit for a home game.
First-Half:
Lincoln took an early lead in the first-half, with top-scorer Ben House slotting home his sixth goal of the season. This came after the visitors dominated early possession, but could only produce a Kyle Dempsey long-shot on the attacking end.
The Imps came into the game after the first 5 minutes, and made their attacking promise count when Danny Mandroiu smartly took a free-kick, bypassing the Bolton back-line and leaving House with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Lincoln were on the front foot for a continued stretch after their goal, getting in behind on numerous occasions. A Regan Poole long-throw also caused problems for the Trotters’ defence, but Joe Walsh could only head the ball wide after a tidy flick-on.
Bolton’s starman Conor Bradley looked the most likely to provide for his side, cutting inside multiple times throughout the first half. The visitor’s best chance of the game came after 38 minutes, as marksman Dion Charles saw his shot deflected into the arms of Carl Rushworth.
Despite Bolton’s stronghold of possession (73%), they couldn’t offer a single clear cut chance in a disappointing first-half for the away side. The Imps were by far the most dangerous team in the first-half, and deserved their 1-0 lead at the break.
Second-Half:
The second half was full of incidents and drama, starting with Bolton’s equaliser just before the hour mark. Defender Eoin Toal managed to head home a pacey corner, sending the 1,200 plus away fans into rapture.
Things got even better for Bolton a few moments later, as Joe Walsh received his second yellow card just the other side of the hour mark.
To no one’s surprise, Bolton controlled the match following the red card, looking to make their man advantage count. The Imps began to try and wind the clock down with half an hour left, as Bolton made multiple changes and looked to pounce on a vulnerable Lincoln.
The visitors remained in control of possession, this time holding more of it in the Lincoln half. However, in spite of the piling pressure, the Imps’ defence remains resolute.
Mark Kennedy spoke positively of his team’s “immense” performance, adding “that’s us most weeks”. He thought the Imps showed a lot of “fight”, while being under the cosh for a continued stretch following the red card.
In the last 10 minutes of normal time, Bolton threw everything apart from the kitchen sink at Lincoln. Conor Bradley came more and more into the game, firing countless crosses into the Lincoln penalty area, but he couldn’t provide the winning touch.
The LNER Stadium became an unpleasant place to be, as the referee continued to dish out yellow cards to Lincoln players and the crowd grew more and more frustrated.
Bolton’s best chance in injury time came in the form of a cross for the right, but the ball just about evaded the on-rushing Oladapo Afolayan. Conor Bradley whipped in more crosses, but Carl Rushworth commanded his area and claimed each one.
Full-Time: Lincoln City 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
Lincoln just about held on for a point, providing a spirited performance after going down to 10-men. Bolton attacked relentlessly in the last half an hour, but couldn’t find the decisive touch the make their possession and man advantage pay dividends.
The result means that the Imps extended their unbeaten home record to 11 games, while Bolton will rue their inability to capitalise on the red card. A draw was a fair reflection on a game where chances were even and tempers flared.