Lincoln City saw their Vertu Trophy campaign end at the last 16 stage, slumping to a 1-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the LNER Stadium.
Ian Evatt made seven changes from the side that started their 3-1 League One defeat to Rotherham United last time out, while the Michael Skubala made four changes to his starting 11.
Yet again for the Imps this season, a lack of cutting edge was what prevented them making a real impact in the game after being arguably the better team in the first 45 minutes.
Aaron Collins gave Wanderers the lead with 21 minutes on the clock, and they defended well to ensure their progression to the next stage of the Trophy.
Same Old Story:
A largely positive first-half from City was plagued once more by the inability to take their chances. Early efforts from Ethan Erhahon, Ethan Hamilton, Freddie Draper and Jack Moylan – following some individual brilliance by Recco Hackett to create the chance – were spurned.
Against the run of play, Bolton took the lead with 21 minutes gone.
Goalkeeper Zach Jeacock came out of his area to meet a loose ball but misjudged the flight majorly. This left Vertu Trophy top scorer Aaron Collins with an open net to aim at. But, Jeacock and Paudie O’Connor recovered to block Collins’ initial effort.
The rebound fell to Klaidi Lolos, who took a touch and found Collins in space to fire through the legs of Jeacock for his sixth goal in the Trophy this season.
Eleven minutes later, Hackett thought he had levelled the game.
Moylan played a corner short to Sean Roughan, whose subsequent cross met the St. Lucian. The linesman later put his flag up for offside, after he and referee Thomas Parsons were in agreement that Jovon Makama had got a slight touch on the ball as it went by him, putting Hackett in an offside position.
Half chances were all that followed for City in the remaining 10 minutes of the first period, with Moylan’s first time effort from the edge of the box going well wide and Makama’s volleyed effort from a free kick deflecting behind for a corner.
Uneventful second-half:
An uninspiring second 45 secured progression to the quarter-finals for Bolton. Chances were at a premium, though yet again Skubala’s side had the better of them.
Moylan fired just wide in the opening minutes, before Hamilton hit an awkward volley just wide of Luke Southwood’s left-hand post on the hour mark.
The Wanderers ‘keeper was called into action with 13 minutes left, tipping Roughan’s rifled effort behind for a corner with his left hand.
Two minutes later, substitute John McAtee blazed a volley over the bar for the Trotters.
The full time whistle meant Lincoln have now scored just one goal in their last nine hours of football.
Next up it is back to Sky Bet League One action for City, travelling to Sixfields to face Northampton Town on Saturday, January 18.