Lincoln City stretch their unbeaten run to seven games as they beat Leyton Orient at the LNER Stadium.
In front of more than 9,500, the Imps took the lead straight after the break thanks to a deserved goal from Jovon Makama. Freddie Draper added a second, before a Dan Agyei strike meant it was backs against the wall to see the game out.
Slow and Steady Start:
Neither team could get control of the game in the early goings, with the ball pinging from end to end without any sight of goal.
That was until the 15th minute when Leyton Orient went close to breaking the deadlock. Winning a free-kick in a dangerous central position, the visitors opted to take it quickly and lay the ball out wide to Dan Agyei. He pinned a cross to the far post, which narrowly escaped a touch from any of the three on-rushing attackers.
Imps chief Michael Skubala had made three changes to the side that secured a late point at Blackpool in midweek. He brought in the man that scored the goal at Bloomfield Road, Tom Hamer, as well as Freddie Draper, and summer recruit Tom Bayliss.
However, the headline team news was on the bench, as Scottish midfielder Ethan Hamilton returned from his lengthy layoff and featured for the first time since February.
Skubala’s counterpart, Richie Wellens, was forced into a late change as Ethan Galbraith picked up an injury during the warm-up. He was replaced by Tottenham Hotspur loanee Jamie Donley.
Makama had a shot blocked, as Lincoln City struggled to penetrate the Orient backline. When they did, with the young forward sent in behind, he was yanked to the ground by the subsequently yellow carded Jack Simpson.
Up the other end it was too easy to create chances. Late replacement Donley went a whisker away from opening his seasonal account, as he had a shot deflected onto the wide netting. From the resulting corner, which was taken short, full-back Tom James smacked the cross bar with a speculative effort.
Then on, the half fizzled out. It was a first-half devoid of energy from a Lincoln perspective, and one that the O’s dominated in terms of possession and chances.
All Change in the Second-Half:
Wellens made a half-time switch, replacing Sean Clare with Jordan Brown in midfield. But, it was Lincoln who started the second-half brightest.
Jovon Makama netted his first league goal of the season, planting a diving header past Zach Hemming. Tendayi Darikwa curled a ball to Hamer, whose powerful header found the attacker for the game’s first goal.
Then, it should have been two just moments later. Makama powered his way through the Leyton Orient defence, past the booked Simpson, but could not find the neat finish at the end of his remarkable run.
After a good afternoon’s work, Makama was replaced by Bailey Cadamarteri on the hour mark following treatment from the medical staff.
The changes kept on coming throughout the second-half, as Orient chased an equaliser and Lincoln soaked up the little pressure they were being put under.
The second goal eventually came with 13 minutes left on the clock. Swedish wide-man Erik Ring went on a surging run, cutting inside and laying the ball off to Freddie Draper. The Imps youngster set himself and side-footed the ball into the far corner of Hemming’s goal.
The two goal lead did not last long, however. Just minutes later, the lively Dan Agyei scored a goal that came out of nowhere. He wound his way through the Lincoln team, and fired a neat effort into the bottom corner of George Wickens’ net that was similar to the goal Draper scored at the other end.
Conor McGrandles remarkably headed the ball off the line in the seventh minute of added time, stopping the visitors pinching a late point.
In the end, Lincoln managed to hang on despite a late onslaught. In doing so, they stretched their unbeaten run to seven games. It meant back-to-back defeats for Orient, who had looked resurgent before hitting a recent bump in the road.
City now head to Lincolnshire rivals Grimsby Town in Bristol Street Motors Trophy action on Tuesday.
Feature Image Credit: Graham Burrell