Imps turned tables with tight defence and keen pressing
LINCOLN City, just as they had at Sincil Bank in December, looked just about the best team Burton Albion have met in League One this season when they won 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night.
Sure, it was a fifth defeat at home for the Brewers under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and a 12th altogether this season – crazily, twice as many as the Brewers have lost on the road – but there was no disgrace in losing this game.
If anything, the Imps did to Burton just what Burton have been doing to other teams, especially away from home, during their run towards safety.
Once they had their goal, they soaked up pressure with great efficiency, harried the Brewers relentlessly into mistakes and looked dangerous on the break.
It was much more of a “classic away performance” than the one Plymouth Argyle manager Ryan Lowe thought his side were so close to pulling off on Saturday, when the Brewers found a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw which was the very least they deserved from the game.
They might have had an equaliser this time, too.
In real time, it looked a little soft when Joe Powell went to ground under a challenge as he tried to turn and shoot in the box.
Hasselbaink felt it was a lot more clear-cut than that and replays tend to back him up.
Burton have certainly conceded penalties for less in recent times – think no further back than Portsmouth’s equaliser deep into stoppage time at Fratton Park last season.
But, realistically, Burton were outplayed on Tuesday night, especially in the first half, when, following a bright enough start, they could not keep the ball long enough and clearances kept going straight to Lincoln players for another attack to start.
Unlike several sides who have dominated possession against Burton at the Pirelli – Peterborough United and Portsmouth very much come to mind – Lincoln went somewhere decisive with their possession, passing quickly and neatly to open up shooting chances, although they did actually only get three out of 16 of them on target and scored as the result of a set-piece.
In terms of the incisiveness of their passing, they were up there with Sunderland, who won 3-0 at the Pirelli.
The Brewers have come up against both Sunderland and Lincoln (twice) at their best, which is just how things work out sometimes.
It is only a month since Lincoln lost at home to Rochdale and Gillingham in succession.
Fleetwood Town, Doncaster Rovers, Shrewsbury Town, Sunderland, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers have all won at Sincil Bank as well and, like Burton, their results are much better on their travels.
Sunderland, too, were just hitting their stride when they won at Burton but they have hit a blip lately, now going five games without a win.
It is rarely any different in any division as fortunes ebb and flow.
There was a suggestion on one of the supporters’ Facebook pages after Tuesday night’s game that the way Lincoln have recruited is the way Burton should go.
Lincoln’s is a young side, well organised by, for my money, the underrated Michael Appleton and they are full of keen running.
I would suggest that much of Hasselbaink and Dino Maamria’s recuitment is already pointing the same way, with the signings on two and a half year deals of Jonny Smith, Tom Hamer and Terry
Taylor in January.
Loanees Hayden Carter and Josh Earl are also younger players and while neither may be here next season, so it is with most clubs.
Lincoln’s goalscorer on Tuesday, TJ Eyoma, is on loan from Spurs.
Of the others who started against Burton, Alex Palmer and Callum Morton will return to West Bromwich Albion, Morgan Rogers to Manchester City and Brennan Johnson to Nottingham Forest.
So, yes, they have a young side but five of their starters will not be Lincoln players by June.
That is just normal. Loans are an integral part of things for clubs at this level and tend to involve an element of luck.
With Carter, especially, the Brewers got it right in the loan market and, in fairness, so did Jake Buxton when he signed Carter’s predecessor, Sam Hughes, on loan from Leicester City.
I heard someone say on Tuesday night that the way Lincoln played might be close to the ideal Hasselbaink is aiming for with Burton.
That may be right and there have been a few spells in games already when they have hit those heights.
We look forward to more.