CHAIR STUNNERS ROCK THE IMPS
Celebrating boss Maamria sees red
DINO Maamria, who was sent off after sprinting half the length of the pitch to celebrate his Stevenage side’s late the equaliser, believes Lincoln were lucky to get a point.
The leaders were pegged back by two stunning late goals from Ilias Chair as they were held to a draw.
The Imps looked to be heading for three points after two goals from Bruno Andrade, but a pair of magnificent strikes from Chair – in the 87th minute and then in added time – meant the league leaders had to settle for just a point.
“At 2-0 down, I don’t think anyone would have said we would draw the game, but we did and I’m proud of the players,” Maamria said.
“They [Lincoln] were lucky to stay in the game,” he said. “We could have made it 3-2 with virtually the last kick. We absolutely battered them and that’s credit to our players.”
Ninth-placed Stevenage are still on the fringes of the play-offs and while delighted, Maamria insisted his side are punching above their weight amongst some big-hitters in League Two. He said: “I came here in March and we lost some big players last summer.
“Look at what they [Lincoln] had and what we had. We had Liam Smith, a 17-year-old, coming on.
“When we lost [2-0] at Tranmere last week, a big deal got made of it, but we’ve got what we’ve got and we’re pushing as much as we can. Nobody is more ambitious than me, I am relentless and I want to get as high as I can.”
The Imps made a dream start to the second half, taking the lead after 48 minutes through Andrade, who did brilliantly to rise and head home a cross from Danny Rowe.
With 19 minutes left, Andrade struck again to double his side’s advantage with a superb angled drive that flew into the far corner.
Chair finally got the goal his performance deserved when he curled a fabulous effort beyond keeper Smith. And the equaliser arrived deep into added time when Chair scored with a jaw-dropping strike from out on the right.
Dejected Imps boss Danny Cowley admitted his frustration in City’s performance. He said: “We’re bitterly disappointed. To concede two goals so late is upsetting. Credit to their player [Chair] because they were two great goals.
“But we know he wants to get on to his right [foot]. For the first goal, we need- ed cover to come across and stop him having the shot. It didn’t happen and then he does it again with an even better goal – and he almost did it a third time had it not been for a great save from Grant [Smith].
“We need look at those moments, but we also need to look at the performance. We should have been more clinical and scored the third, but weren’t and then we conceded those late goals.”
LINCOLN: Smith 6, Eardley 7, Bolger 6, Shackell 7, Toffolo 7, Bostwick 7, Frecklington 6 (O’Connor 67, 6), Rowe 6 (McCartan 69, 6), Pett 6 (O’Hara 84, 5), Andrade 8, Akinde 7. Subs not used: Vickers, Rhead, Angol, Roberts.
STEVENAGE: Farman 6, Wildin 6, Cuthbert 6, Wilkinson 6, Hunt 7, Makasi 5 (Ball 83, 6), Byrom 6 (Smyth 79, 7), Henry 6 (Sonupe 72, 5), Timlin 7, Chair 9, Revell 6. Subs not used: Vancooten, Gibson, Byrne, Martin.