COWLEY’S IMPS ARE ON A ROLL
DANNY Cowley believes Lincoln’s play-off push is gathering pace after he watched his side come out on top in a thrilling encounter with play-off rivals Exeter.
It was the Grecians who led after ten minutes through Jayden Stockley but the Imps turned the game on its head midway through the second half with two quick-fire goals from Danny Rowe and Matt Green.
Jake Taylor levelled for Exeter with 12 minutes to go but substitute Ollie Palmer pounced to snatch a winner in the dying stages.
“We’re five games unbeaten now and that gives us real momentum, which we must ensure we take forward to Carlisle,” he said. “All of our energy is now on that game, I’ve parked today's game – I’m over it already.
“Keith Curle is a real football man who played at the highest level. He’s assembled a really good squad up there and it’s not an easy place to go. It’s a really big pitch so we’ll have to rest well if we want to cover every inch of grass.
“To be in and around the promotion places of League Two at this stage of the season has taken a tremendous effort.”
Lincoln had the better of the opening exchanges, but it was the visitors who went ahead on ten minutes. After Stockley won a corner on the right, the striker rose unmarked to head home Hiram Boateng’s resulting flag kick.
Stockley almost doubled the Grecians’ advantage moments before the break but his volley crashed against both posts and somehow landed in the arms of the fortuitous Ryan Allsop.
Two goals in as many minutes after the break, however, soon swung the game in Lincoln’s favour. First, on the hour, Rowe reacted quickest after Elliott Whitehouse’s strike had been palmed out by Christy Pym.
Moments later a cheeky freekick from Neal Eardley caught the visiting defence napping and Matt Green was on hand to fire his side ahead at the near post.
After chances at both ends Taylor curled a fine effort beyond Allsop to equalise, before Palmer sealed the points for the Imps by converting Eardley’s cross.
Exeter’s Paul Tisdale wasn’t downbeat despite defeat.
“I really enjoyed the game. Obviously I’m terribly disappointed that we lost, but I thought we played well in a cracking game of football that could have gone either way,” he said.
“We had some bad luck – we’ve hit the post in both halves, but Lincoln had their moments too.
It’s just unfortunate that our moments didn’t go our way. It’s a big game on Monday now and we’ll have to see who is available.
“It’s the business end of the season and we have no excuses for this defeat, nor do we feel sorry for ourselves, there are still plenty of games to go.”
LINCOLN: (4-3-3): Allsop 6, Eardley 8, Wharton 8, Bostwick 7, Habergham 6, Frecklington 5 (Waterfall 74 6), Woodyard 7, Whitehouse 7, Green 7, Rhead 7 (Palmer 76 7), Rowe 6 (Anderson 72 6) Subs not used: Farman, Pett, Williams, Wilson
EXETER: (3-5-2): Pym 6, Croll 6 (Woodman 68 6), Storey 6, Wilson 6, Sweeney 6, Boateng 7, Tillson 7, James 7 (Simpson 68 6), Moxey 6, Taylor 6, Stockley 8 Subs not used: Jones, McAlinden, Jay, Loft