FOSU HITS HAT-TRICK AS UNITED ROUT IMPS
JAMIE McCombe admitted the only people who could emerge with any credit from Lincoln City’s defeat to Oxford United were the home fans.
Tariqe Fosu bagged a hat-trick, including two in the first half, while Jamie Mackie and James Henry scored early in the second period. Substitute Matt Taylor rounded off the scoring with the sixth late on.
Despite the result, the majority of the home supporters in the crowd of almost 9,000 stayed behind until the end and continued their backing for the team.
The match saw first-team coach McCombe take charge of the team for the final time before handing the reins to new manager Michael Appleton, who was watching from the stands after being appointed on Friday.
“I’m bitterly disappointed, it was nowhere near good enough, but I don’t really want to talk about the performance,” said McCombe.
“There was one standout performance, and that was from the fans. I thought the fans were magnificent. They stuck with us throughout the game. We didn’t deserve them.
“It [the performance] was below bar. All the fundamentals we expect weren’t there. It was unlike us and we’re bitterly disappointed.
“Whenever you get beaten like that, it’s normally down to other factors. Whether the mentality’s changed between Tuesday and Saturday, I don’t know.”
The visitors were rewarded for a positive start after five minutes when Fosu fired home from outside the box.
The second goal arrived five minutes before the break when Tosu rounded Josh Vickers and slotted in.
Any hopes the Imps had of a positive result were snuffed out by two more goals early in the second half.
First, Mackie cut inside Cian Bolger before stabbing the ball beyond Vickers in the 48th minute. Six minutes later, Henry crashed the ball home at the second attempt after his initial shot had been blocked.
The carnage continued when Tosu completed his hat-trick with a longrange strike with 20 minutes left and substitute Matt Taylor headed home after 79 minutes.
The result was Oxford’s biggest ever away win in the Football League.
Delighted manager Karl Robinson said: “It was just another good performance for us. We just found a rhythm. I was really pleased with the way we went about it.
“To set the biggest ever away league win, they are the little things you keep with you for the rest of your career. It’s something that can stand for a long time.”
On hat-trick hero Fosu, Robinson said: “I’ve said before Tariqe is one of the best players I’ve signed.”