Michael Skubala admits that Lincoln City’s Boxing Day defeat to Bolton Wanderers was “tough to take” and is disappointed to not get a positive result.
The Imps head coach was left frustrated after Danny Mandroiu’s red card in the 1-0 defeat to Bolton, but is excited to boost his “depleted” strike force in the January transfer window.
The Imps conceded in the 89th minute, when Eoin Toal scored at the Stacey West End for the second season in a row.
Skubala said: “It’s a really tough one to take to play just under 20 minutes with ten men. We were digging deep, and then an 89th minute goal was tough for the lads. I thought we did enough to get something out of the game, especially in the second half.
“We were pushing a top team in this league who have got a good squad. We are a bit depleted at the minute, and we were pushing them second half.”
City forward Mandroiu was sent off for the second time this season in the 72nd minute for a reckless challenge on Bolton midfielder Aaron Morley.
Skubala said: “It’s a game changing moment. I don’t think you can say it’s not a game changing moment. Whether it has cost us or not I don’t know, but for me it’s a game changing moment for sure.
“I don’t really want to talk about Danny if I am honest, I want to talk about the players out there that for 20 minutes looked like they were going to get something out of the game. I thought they were brilliant to a man.”
More than 10,000 fans were at the LNER Stadium for just the second time this season, the other being the Carabao Cup clash with West Ham United.
The City boss recognising the impact they made. He said: “I was really proud of the crowd tonight. I thought they were amazing. When we were under the cosh with ten men, you could really hear them, and I think we are going to need that for these weeks, games, months where our squad is depleted.”
More Imps injury concerns
Skubala has had many injury troubles to deal with since his arrival in November. He was dealt more blows on Boxing Day, with defenders Adam Jackson and loanee Jack Burroughs missing.
Skubala gave an update: “Adam had a bug so we need to see how he is, and Jack has pulled a slight hamstring, so we have to see how he is, and obviously now Danny [Mandroiu], I don’t know how long he will be out for.”
He added: “You saw the skipper [Paudie O’Connor] struggling out there today, and he just kept going and going and going so we don’t know how he is going to respond to that. It is what it is, and we have to keep fighting and, in these moments, we just need to keep digging deep together.”
Skubala has an eye on the January transfer market
With the major injury concerns that face Skubala he is excited by the prospect of the January transfer window being only a matter of days away.
He said: “I think we have to be realistic, and I think it’s part of the job for Jez [George], the board, and myself to look at what we can do.
I think we need to be realistic but there’s also players that need to come back. I’m excited by some of the players coming back as well as going into the market as well. But it’s complicated. We need to make decisions on our players, because we are going to need some reinforcements in January of some sort.”
Freddie Draper, currently on loan at League Two side Walsall from City could be an option for Skubala. “He is one of our players. We have to make the right decisions for Freddie, and we must make the right decision for the club in the moment,” he said.
Next up for Lincoln is another home game against Northampton Town on Friday night (29th December 19:45 KO).
Skubala is aware of the test that awaits: “It’s another tough game for us, but if we defend well like that and have a bit more going forward then we will win the game and I think it’s a game we can win, even though we are depleted. But we will need to be at our best.”
Follow LincSport on Twitter/X for live updates, a post-match report and interviews on Friday.