MIGHTY DUCKENS DOWNS IMPS
COVENTRY manager Mark Robins was delighted with his side’s performance as the Sky Blues came from behind to grab all three points at a packed Sincil Bank.
Subsitute Duckens Nazon fired home the winner with 20 minutes to go after Jodi Jones had earlier cancelled out Lincoln’s opener through Matt Rhead.
“Lincoln are an excellent side who play to their strengths, so to come here and win like that is a great result for us,” said Robins.
“They are very effective at what they do, but we dealt with their threats and caught them on the counter on numerous occasions.
“It’s a really difficult place to come so to do what we did out there was a real test of character.
“When Lincoln scored it felt like a full Championship ground – it was that noisy – but by the end our supporters were outsinging theirs.
“I’m delighted for the players and for the fans because we let them down last weekend.”
In this first meeting between the two sides since 1963, it was Rhead who put Lincoln ahead on 27 minutes, firing home accurately from a Sean Long cross.
Lincoln paraded Darren Huckerby on the pitch at half time, a player remembered fondly by both sets of supporters, and it was a winger playing in much the same style as him that swung the game for the visitors.
On 61 minutes Jones cut inside from the right and fired low past Vickers from the edge of the area after Jordan Shipley had broke away from a Lincoln corner.
Lincoln responded immediately and almost regained the lead, but Matt Green could only head Neal Eardley’s header on to the crossbar.
The Imps were left to rue that missed opportunity as moments later Jones broke through the middle, and after his initial shot was saved, his follow up hit the bar and rebounded to substitute Nazon who smashed home with aplomb to seal the points.
The fourth official gave Lincoln hope indicating there would be six minutes of added time, but the Sky Blues held firm.
Imps boss Danny Cowley was disappointed his players couldn’t maintain the intensity they played at in the first half.
“We were pleased at half time – the players had done everything asked of them,” he said. “We played in their half and our front two linked up really well.”
“We were winning all the second ball battles in midfield and the plan was to do the same in the second half, but we just didn’t get any of the basics right.
“At the end of the day we played against a very good team – probably the best team we have seen here this season.
“Jodi Jones is best player in this league and is far better than this level. He was a threat all day and when you have him and Nazon on the pitch together you’re in for a difficult time.”