Lincoln City head coach Michael Skubala described the 3-2 defeat to Sky Bet League One leaders Wycombe Wanderers as two good teams having a good go.
His side ultimately came up short, with the Imps boss saying his team need to be more ruthless.
Table-Topping Chairboys:
The tight loss marks the third time that the Imps have tasted defeat at home in the league, but Skubala was quick to praise Wycombe.
He said: “They were really clinical team in the final third, they are really good on their top line and that’s why they’re top of the league.
“They play some really top-quality football, they put it on you, they got quality, pace and power and I think we felt that. In the end its two good teams having a ding dong, having a go at it. I think they were just too clinical for us.”
Wong-back Tendayi Darikwa put the hosts ahead in tie after 14 minutes, but the Imps found themselves behind at the break thanks to Richard Kone’s poked equaliser and a superbly-crafted move two minutes before the break where Fred Onyedimna tapped home from close range.
Both sides had their chances in a thrilling and gripping encounter at the LNER Stadium, with City unable to finish theirs off.
Skubala said: “We gave them loads of respect, we went 1-0 up, and maybe we should manage that period a bit better, we got a punch in the nose to go 2-1 down at the break. If we go in at 1-1 it’s a different game.
“Maybe we should have got a draw out of it. Two good teams having a go, but in the end just not enough with our finishing.”
A Ruthless Edge is Needed:
City saw plenty of the ball in midfield areas, but struggled to test Wycombe goalkeeper Franco Ravizzoli. The Imps only had six shots on target in the whole contest.
The Lincoln head coach said: “You can coach them into positions, but when they’re in positions, they need to be more ruthless, and they need to affect the goal more.
“There were a couple of chances where we have gone down the sides of them and we have made square passes and I’m thinking ‘shoot, effect the goalkeeper’, trying to be too clever when we don’t need to be. It’s up to them to take the information on.”
Tendayi Up Top?
The highlight of the afternoon was Tendayi Darikwa’s performance at wing-back. The defender tripled his goal tally for the season with his brace, adding to his goal at Burton Albion on opening day. His goal-scoring antics kept City in the game and the Imps head coach recognised his importance on Saturday.
“He’s great. Every game he plays he’s good and his levels are good, and he is a proper professional. That’s why he is so consistent. This league is about consistency for me whether your players, and we have got to find a consistent momentum,” Skubala said.
Festive Fixtures Knock:
The fixtures come thick and fast across the festive months, as three-game weeks begin to emerge into the calendars. Following the result, Skubala reiterated the importance of keeping as many players fit for the festive season.
He said: “We have a few knocks so lets see how we are. We have tough games and tough travel coming up and we have to get through it. If we play in moments like that, we just need to take our chances more.
“It’s huge. We need to keep bodies going. We have got to make sure we are recovered and refreshed and also try and look after the knocks as much as we can.”
Lincoln City make the long trip to Wales on Tuesday, November 26, facing Wrexham.