Lincoln City concede late to fall to defeat against relegation threatened Burton Albion.
Lincoln had the ball in the back of the net twice, with efforts from Sam Clucas and James Collins disallowed, but it was Charlie Webster’s injury time winner that made the difference.
Michael Skubala had made a duo of changes to the side that beat Mansfield Town in midweek, giving starts to goalscorers Dom Jefferies and Clucas, who was making his home debut for the Imps.
Slow and steady first-half:
The Imps started with energy, as Ben House became a threat. He almost capitalised on a shaky Ryan Sweeney backpass, while James Collins hit the side netting early in the piece.
Burton Albion had made two changes to their starting 11, with Lincoln loanee JJ McKiernan one of those dropping out of the team.
That quick Lincoln start was soon controlled by Gary Bowyer’s men, as they slowed the game down and showed why they had only lost one of their last eight outings.
City goalkeeper Zach Jeacock received treatment in the 26th minute, but was deemed fit to continue.
The game’s first shot on target then came just after the half hour mark, with Jovon Makama firing a long-ranger straight at the Burton ‘keeper.
Ten minutes later and full-back Tendayi Darikwa headed on goal, calling Max Crocombe into a routine save.
It was a slow and steady opening 45 minutes. Lincoln were the better team, but did not create a clear cut chance before the interval, while Albion huffed and puffed in attack.
The visitors’ only real sight on goal came just a few minutes before half-time when Icelandic international Jon Dadi Bondvarsson pulled an effort just wide from 25-yards.
A disallowed dream goal:
It was a moment of magic that looked to have brought the game’s opener just seconds after the break, but the referee Ruebyn Ricardo disallowed it.
Sam Clucas slalomed his way through the Burton defences before planting the ball beyond the goalkeeper. It appeared that a foul took place in the build up to the goal, with Makama pulling back a recovering Brewers defender as he tried to cover for his fellow defenders.
The game had been spurred into life by the half-time break, with Clucas soon having a stinging shot blocked before Sean Roughan clipped an effort goalwards that was also intercepted.
At the other end, Rumarn Burrell fired over when the ball fell kindly to him inside the Imps box. It was one of the limited Burton chances, and was wasted.
Another disallowed Lincoln City strike, before Burton Albion’s winner:
There was another goal disallowed for City in the 70th minute. Captain Paudie O’Connor flicked a cross to James Collins, who was offside when he tapped the ball past Crocombe.
The Brewers were willing to let the game slow as the minutes ticked by, with any point a good one in the tense fight for League One survival.
A goalless draw would have a first clean sheet on home turf since January 4, but Burton Albion struck late into stoppage time. Charlie Webster had space to dance his way through the Imps penalty box, before stabbing the ball home to steal all three points
A good goal by Sam clucas had to be chalked off because of a silly foul given away by Makama when will they learn to keep their hands to themselves these young guys are being definitely overpaid and I hope he apologies to Sam cost us 3 points today no chance of play offs now and that’s a fact.