Moments before kickoff the LNER Stadium was absolutely bouncing as Lincoln City hosted league leaders Cardiff City in their last league game before Christmas.
The away side brought 1,617 fans to help build the impressive attendance of 9,913 this afternoon.
The Bluebirds had the opportunity to go seven points clear at the top of the SkyBet League One table this afternoon, with the Imps looking to go within three points of the visitors.
Imps build pressure
Adam Reach faced several early runs in the opening minutes, but the experienced fullback was able to take the pressure off his teammates by holding strong and winning a free kick deep in Lincoln’s half.
Ten minutes into the game Lincoln created the first real chance but a tame header could only be sent straight into Matthew Turner’s grasp.
Just moments later, Tendayi Darikwa tested the visiting keeper from the edge of the area. It was held nicely again but a sense of pressure seemed to be building on Cardiff’s back line.
At 36 minutes Cardiff really should’ve taken the lead with Yousef Salech’s effort rattling the crossbar from less than five-yards out before the ball bounced out to Alex Robertson who curled his effort just wide of the far post.
That seemed to awaken something in Michael Skubala’s men as they rushed forward down the left hand side before a stroke of luck handed them the lead through an Alex Robertson own goal in the 40th minute which took Lincoln City into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Atmosphere pulls through
Cardiff City came out for the second half and were the much stronger team. In the 49th minute, an incredible passing move from the league leaders was dispatched fantastically by Perry Ng, and the momentum of the game suddenly began to swing away from The Imps.
Lincoln fans screamed for a penalty for handball just minutes later but it was waved away by the referee.
Cardiff City immediately rushed down the other end and Cian Ashford was almost able to capitalise on the building pressure.
Just after the hour mark George Wickens kept Lincoln in reach of a point after he denied a powerful close-range effort from Cardiff’s Ryan Wintle.
In the 67th minute, the hosts began to find their feet and built some pressure with a flurry of corners, and just like that they regained the lead as Sonny Bradley rose highest in the box to head home the goal for 2-1.
Reeco Hackett lit up the right hand side this afternoon and his antics were celebrated like goals by the home fans, including narrowly missing directly from a corner.
With just over ten minutes to go, Rob Street really should’ve put the game to bed but fired over from eight yards out.
George Wickens was shown a yellow card on the stroke of 80 minutes for wasting time. The Lincoln goalkeeper then took his free kick which was eventually headed over by Justin Obikwu.
Adam Reach made yet another one of his storming runs down the left hand side, playing a delightful one-two with Hackett, but the Lincoln striker could only slice his shot out for a throw-in.
Lincoln kept the pressure up right until the final whistle and many would say deserved the three points as they kept throwing bodies forward deep into the five minutes of injury time.
The LNER Stadium erupted at the full time whistle as The Imps beat the Bluebirds 2-1 at home. Skubala’s red and white army now find themselves just three points behind the league leaders and have still only lost once at home in the league this season.
The Imps now visit fellow promotion challengers Stockport County next Saturday as they hope to keep their promotion charge on the road.