PETT MAULS ALEX TO SEE IMPS HOME
DANNY Cowley was relieved to see his side return to winning ways after the Imps overcame midweek disappointment at Tranmere to beat Crewe.
Lincoln moved four points clear at the top of the table after midfielder Tom Pett came off the bench to fire his side to victory.
It was an inspired substitution by Cowley just before the hour mark that proved the difference between the two sides, as Pett, who had only been on the field for just over a minute, lashed the ball home from 12 yards in a strike that proved too powerful for Ben Garrett.
“I’m pleased to win, but I didn’t think we played to the standards we expect of ourselves,” he said.
“If you play really well and lose, as we did on Tuesday, then the art is maybe in playing not so well and winning. If you can’t aesthetically please the supporters then it’s important to at least make sure it’s an efficient performance.
“The fact we were able to see the game out having missed a penalty is testament to our mental strength.”
A dire first half was summed up by the fact that Crewe’s Chris Porter came closest to breaking the deadlock by inadvertently heading a Lincoln corner towards his own net. Fortunately, keeper Garrett was on hand to spare the forward’s blushes, as he scrambled the ball off the line ahead of the onrushing Harry Anderson.
Pett scored the winner in the 58th minute when a clearance was headed back in by John Akinde, with Lee Frecklington nodding the ball down for Pett to volley home.
Lincoln were presented with a perfect opportunity to wrap things up five minutes from time when Kevin O’Connor cynically brought down Bruno Andrade in the area. Frecklington stepped up for the Imps, but Garrett ensured a nervy finish by diving low to his left to deny him.
Crewe boss David Artell was left frustrated with his side’s display.
“We can stand here and say we deserved something from the game, but we have already said that about three of the five away games this season,” he explained.
“We deserved more at Cheltenham, we should have won at Newport, and now here. That’s not a coincidence – it’s a pattern. I’m not going to dress it up as a hard fought one-nil loss because we never even looked like scoring. Sure, Lincoln have evolved and they now have players who can play, but they’re certainly not streets ahead of us.” Akinde also fired over for City, Andrade saw an effort fizz wide, and Shay McCartan had a shot dealt with by Garrett, while Josh Vickers saved from Charlie Kirk in Crewe’s only real chance of the match.