By PAUL WOLFF at the LNER Stadium

MICHAEL APPLETON hailed his Lincoln side for producing one of their best performances of the season as goals from Anthony Scully and debutant Morgan Whittaker helped them beat Oxford at the LNER Stadium.

The Imps had not won in League One since the end of October and started the match in the relegation zone against an in-form Oxford side.

But City produced a performance which resembled their swashbuckling displays of last season, when they finished fifth and reached the play-off final.

Scully’s strike in the 40th minute and Whittaker’s (above) goal in the 56th minute saw the Imps secure a muchneeded three points and put a dent in the promotion ambitions of Oxford, who had Herbie Kane sent off 13 minutes from time for a poor challenge on Lewis Fiorini. “It’s definitely up there,” said Appleton of the performance.

“Especially in the first half, I thought we were great in the first half. We were a little bit disappointed we didn’t come in at half-time two or three up.

“We were on the front foot, passed the ball really well and competed with them in the middle of the park, which I knew we had to do.

“It was everything you’d want and have come to expect.”

In contrast, Oxford manager Karl Robinson was deeply disappointed with his side’s first-half display in particular.

“The first half was a long way off what we believe is right,” he said. “You can’t perform how we did in the first half and expect to get anything out of the game.

“Our decision-making wasn’t right and our technique let us down in the final third. Everything about the first half was wrong.

“I thought we deserved to win the second half.

“We were much better and made it more difficult for the opposition.

But we were fighting an uphill battle.

“It’s a disappointing afternoon.

It won’t sit well with any of us.

“It really hurts and we apologise to the fans who have made the trip out here. We’ve got to do better.”