Lincoln City manager Michael Skubala admitted that his side have work to do in the transfer market after they beat League Two side Harrogate Town 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Freddie Draper started for the first time this season as Lincoln City progressed to face either Tranmere Rovers or Burton Albion in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
The Imps got the better of the side that eliminated them at the same stage last season, with Draper noticeably dropping into a number ten role at times.
In a summer where the Imps haven’t done as much business as they would have liked and with Draper admitting that he feels leaner and sharper, the 21-year-old could be like a new man this season.
Speaking after the game, Lincoln City head coach Michael Skubala said: “Freddie can be a nine, Freddie can be a ten because of the way he can hold it up.
“He’s a real quality player and we’ve just got to get him going, get him more minutes and tonight I thought he was top.”
Draper was denied from close range shortly after Jack Moylan’s opener but he found himself on the scoresheet shortly afterwards, pouncing on a mistake in the Harrogate backline.
Bobby Faulkner’s poor headed clearance bounced six yards from goal for Draper to barge through uninvited and poke the ball beyond an onrushing Mark Oxley.
With the striker working hard throughout pre-season and proving himself to now have more versatility to his game, are we about to see a new side to Freddie Draper?
Skubala said: “We need bodies, you want to see more players on the fringe like Freddie that come in and play well but we know we need depth so we can rotate more.”
Despite Jack Moylan going off with an injury to his right ankle Skubala’s side seem more than adequate in final third with the likes of Draper, Street and Moylan able to spread themselves across that front line.
On the injury Skubala said: “He’s rolled his ankle so let’s see, these things can be a couple of weeks, or these things can be longer, I just hope for Jack Moylan it’s not massively long.”
Finally, the head coach touched on the three different goal scorers when he said: “We know they can score goals, Draper, Moylan and Street all operate in the nines, and the tens and out wide and they were very good.”
Skubala clearly has a lot of trust in his forwards to play a very fluid and versatile front four which could suggest regular change throughout the season.
That also reinforces how the Imps have become an organised well-oiled machine in all areas since the former Leeds United man took charge which could bring the consistency that lifts them up the table.