Lincoln City picked up another point against a top six opponent, holding Barnsley to a 0-0 draw at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday evening.
There were multiple changes in attack from the 3-2 win days before against Port Vale, with Danny Mandroiu and City top goalscorer Ben House sidelined through injury. Luke Plange and Dylan Duffy, who made his debut in the win against Port Vale, replaced the pair.
Kick-Off:
The visitors started the better of the two sides, mounting pressure on the Imps backline, but could only get a Jordan Williams volley from 25 yards for their efforts in the opening 10 minutes.
A teasing ball from Dylan Duffy across the six yard box gave Luke Plange a sniff at the Barnsley goal, but the striker couldn’t quite reach the ball. Duffy was next to try moments later, a left footed effort from the edge of the box didn’t quite curl enough for the Imps 20 year-old.
The first yellow card of the game came after 20 minutes as Herbie Kane had his name taken down by referee Simon Mather for a sliding challenge on Lasse Sorensen, halting the Imps man from progressing down the right wing.
Barnsley arrived in Lincolnshire in good form, and were showing why with long spells of possession, but like a lot of the games at the LNER Stadium this season, the Imps defence were holding out strong.
James Norwood had a headed effort at the near post glanced wide from a Connell cross on the right wing mid-way through the opening 45 minutes.
A big chance came and went for Barnsley, as Herbie Kane’s effort from 12 yards flew over the bar, following a miscued clearance from City’s Paudie O’Connor.
Plange found his looping header from a corner on 35 minutes find the gloves of visiting goalkeeper Harry Isted, as Mark Kennedy’s side looked for a way back into the contest.
City keeper Jordan Wright was called into action 5 minutes before the break, cutting out a James Norwood’s low cross, destined for fellow Barnsley forward Devante Cole.
Paudie O’Connor’s header from a corner was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock in the first half, with his header from a Harry Boyes corner, which was denied by the underside of the crossbar.
Half Time: Lincoln City 0-0 Barnsley.
Adam Phillips saw nothing between himself and Wright bearing down on the Imps goal on 50 minutes. The Barnsley man did well to get a shot away, but a heroic sliding block from Jackson prevented the ball from finding the back of the net.
Only two minutes later, an almighty goalmouth scramble from a Barnsley corner caused chaos in the City backline, with Jordan Wright somehow managing to get his hands on the ball. The visiting Tykes were stunned the ball hadn’t crossed over the line.
Adam Jackson was getting involved at both ends, his goal bound volley was blocked by the face of a Tykes defender, after some nice control via his chest just before the hour mark.
A poor back pass from Bobby Thomas saw Luke Plange through on goal, he played the ball to Harry Boyes, after a strong defensive presence from the backline caught up to him. Virtue’s cross found the head of Duffy, but his headed effort looped onto the roof of Isted’s net.
Bobby Thomas was next to find himself having a yellow card shown to him, after a strong tackle on Duffy in the 63rd minute.
Regan Poole was inches away from connecting his head to Harry Boyes’ deep cross. The defender was unmarked at the back post, as City piled the pressure on the Barnsley backline.
A triple Barnsley substitution was made on 65 minutes with Kane, Devante Cole, and Norwood being replaced by Tedic, Thomas, and Max Walters, as manager Michael Duff looked to get ahead in the contest.
A double Lincoln City change was made with 20 minutes to go by Mark Kennedy with Mide Shodipo and Dylan Duffy replaced by Sean Roughan and Tashan Oakley-Boothe.
The Imps defence came under immense pressure in the closing stages, with multiple crosses put into the box. Kennedy’s side needed to dig in to get something from the game.
Luke Thomas was next to have a go, but his low curled effort was comfortably dealt with and held by Wright, with 5 minutes to go.
As the game moved into the first of five added minutes Sorensen found himself on a lung-burning run from inside his own half before being brought down by Andersen who received a yellow card for his antics. The resulting free-kick was inches away from finding Regan Poole again at the back post unmarked.
Barnsley were inches away from scoring the winner deep into added time, with Jordan Wright committed to trying to punch the ball, when Watters’ header looped towards the net, Imps hearts were in their mouths. Luckily for the side in red, the ball landed on the roof of the net.
As the full-time whistle blew, Kennedy’s side picked up another point, extending their unbeaten run to five games. Next up for the Imps is a trip Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, before hosting Burton Albion next Tuesday at the LNER Stadium.