IMPS BENEFIT AGAIN FROM RAGG TRADE
SEAN RAGGETT once again showed he’s Lincoln City’s man for the big occasion by heading a vital winner.
It’s not the first time. A late header against Forest Green in November cut the then table-toppers’ lead to six points and gave the Imps a shot in the arm.
And who could forget his now famous nod at Burnley where the England C man rose high to squeeze the ball in and send Lincoln into the FA Cup quarter-finals?
But this second-half header could prove even bigger and keeps his team top of the tree in a who-blinks-first title race.
Especially with Tranmere swotting Solihull Moors aside and taking a giant bite out of the Imps’ superior goal difference.
But Lincoln, who have a game in hand, showed they have the teeth for the battle as well, even if Raggett didn’t. In the first half he had blood spilling from his mouth that required lengthy treatment. But his desire to carry on epitomised a performance where Lincoln had to fight hard for the valuable three points.
“If you have a look at his mouth his front tooth is hanging off,” said a descriptive boss Danny Cowley. “Lesser men would have come off in that moment. But Raggs showed everything about him and why he’s destined for big things because he not only defended resolutely and helped us keep a clean sheet, he goes and grabs the winner with his head. That’s what the man is.”
Raggett takes the headlines, but a special mention for keeper Paul Farman. How big his two second-half saves could prove to be.
First, he stood tall and spread himself wide to keep out Scott Wilson. His save on 74 minutes was even better, getting down to his left instinctively to deny Matt Tubbs inside the six-yard box before Sam Habergham hooked the ball off the line.
Fine margins because two minutes later they were ahead. Sub Billy Knott’s delivery was perfect, in behind the Eastleigh defence where Raggett arrived to loop it over Graham Stack.
The Spitfires’ stopper had earlier made two good saves of his own to thwart Nathan Arnold. Despite a heavy defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge last weekend, this is an Eastleigh side that has seen green shoots of recovery since Richard Hill returned to the club, and the dug-out, following Martin Allen’s departure on the back of a torrid run.
Three wins and two draws from eight games has arrested an alarming side and Hill’s team gave Lincoln plenty to think about. They even let them off the hook a couple of times, Wilson heading over a chance right under the crossbar that was probably harder than it first looked.
“On another day we would have won the game,” said Hill, who felt his side had a shout of a free-kick before the one that led to Lincoln’s winner. “I’m not saying we deserved to win the game but I think we pushed them a little bit further than they expected us to and for long periods. I thought we were the better team.
“Their keeper has kept them in the game. Unbelievable saves. So disappointed we didn’t get anything.”