Interim head coach Tom Shaw and his Lincoln City side came from behind to beat Michael Appleton’s Charlton Athletic under the lights.
Hakeeb Adelakun scored a brace and Sean Roughan added a third, as the Imps rebounded from Alfie May’s 10th minute strike and secured successive victories.
This was the first game at the LNER Stadium since Mark Kennedy was dismissed last Wednesday and a chance for Lincoln to record back-to-back wins for the first time since August.
It was Tom Shaw’s first home game in interim charge too, coming off the back of the 1-0 win at Fleetwood on Saturday.
Michael Appleton’s Charlton were unbeaten in the seven games since his arrival, but had yet to record an away win all season.
Both teams came into the game on 18 points, with Charlton two places ahead on merely goal difference.
First-Half:
The first chance fell to Charlton Athletic in the 4th minute as Alfie May nodded a header wide from a Corey Blackett-Taylor cross.
Athletic had scored 14 goals in their last four outings and continued that great goal-scoring form as May netted his ninth of the season, inside the first 10 minutes. Tyreece Campbell got in-behind on the left after a slick Scott Fraser through-ball and cut the ball back to May, who knocked it into the Lincoln City net.
The Imps produced their first chance in the 18th minute as the ball fell to make-shift right-winger Lasse Sorensen at the edge of the box after a looping Hakeeb Adelakun long throw. His effort had venom behind it, but the Addicks goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer was able to push it wide.
Sorensen had a copy-cat chance just moments later, but this one was inadvertently blocked by Sean Roughan, who couldn’t evade the stinging effort.
Charlton looked very dangerous on the break, swarming forward in numbers whenever they got the chance to counter attack. It almost brought a goal for Miles Leaburn, but his shot was nothing more than catching practice for Lukas Jensen.
Tom Shaw’s Lincoln were causing a threat from set-pieces, but it was from open play that they drew level. Jack Burroughs crossed the ball to Adelakun in the middle, who turned beautifully and rifled the ball past Maynard-Brewer in the Charlton goal.
The LNER Stadium came alive and the Imps almost took the lead in a frantic few minutes.
Burroughs had time and space at the back-post, but couldn’t keep his effort down.
Then, Sorensen was all alone up-front and looked to place the ball past Maynard-Brewer. However, the goalkeeper somehow managed to knock it onto the post, before it was eventually cleared for a corner.
The first-half had started with Charlton producing the better chances, but the Imps really came into the game after the half hour mark. Adelakun’s third goal of the season sparked a period of dominance that almost brought a second, or even third, goal.
Level at half-time, both Shaw and Appleton would be happy with the promise their side showed in the first-half.
Second-Half:
The first chance of the second-half came from a great Lincoln City move. Goal scorer Adelakun dinked the ball across the box where Sorensen met it with a crisp volley. Maynard-Brewer was equal to it.
In the 57th minute, Lincoln City completed the turn-around. Lasse Sorensen gathered the ball down the right and whipped in a perfectly-weighted ball to Adelakun. He dutifully tapped it home and notched his second goal of the game.
Michael Appleton made a change on the hour mark, as he was jeered by the 617 Squadron. Panutche Camara replaced Miles Leaburn.
Both sides continued to attack, as the game kept the open feel that dominated the first-half.
Just after the 70th minute, forward Jake Vale made his long-awaited Lincoln City debut, replacing Adelakun before he could complete his hat-trick.
Appleton made a double change as his side went in search of an equaliser. Chem Champbell and Louie Watson replaced Tyreece Champbell and Scott Fraser.
In the 77th minute, the LNER Stadium were celebrating what they thought was a third goal. However, Burroughs’ effort hit the side-netting and not the back of the Charlton net.
Their celebrations didn’t have to wait long, as seconds later Jake Vale found Sean Roughan in space inside the visitors’ box. Roughan made no mistake as he comfortably slotted the ball past Maynard-Brewer.
Both sides made further changes as the game wound to a close, but the Roughan goal had put an end to the contest. It meant Tom Shaw had two wins in two as interim head coach.
Lincoln City 3-1 Charlton Athletic:
Despite Alfie May’s fifth goal in four games, Lincoln City fought back to clinch a 3-1 win. A brace from Hakeeb Adelakun and an insurance Sean Roughan goal sealed the deal for interim head coach Tom Shaw.
It secured the Imps back-to-back victory for the first time since August and made sure Lincoln didn’t fall to successive home defeats for the first time since February 2022.
On his return to Lincoln, Micheal Appleton left the LNER Stadium without his unbeaten run as Charlton Athletic manager, ending after seven games and thanks to his former team.