NINE-MAN IMPS SECURE A POINT
LINCOLN manager Danny Cowley hailed his ‘incredible’ Imps as the leaders drew at Swindon – with nine men.
Sub Michael Doughty scored twice from the bench to rescue a point for Swindon after the visitors had seen Jason Shackell and Bruno Andrade sent off.
Cowley said: “I am not bothered about the result. All I care about is the players and their efforts and I thought they were incredible.
“They fought. To play with 10 men at 30 minutes at 0-0 and then with nine men from 50 minutes onwards was a heroic effort from the group.
“They have a refuse to lose attitude. It was desire and commitment personified.
“It was a monumental effort from everyone and anyone supporting Lincoln City can be proud.”
The game really got going in the 33rd minute when Bruno Andrade raked his foot down the Achilles of Kyle Knoyle after the Swindon right-back won the ball fairly and he was swiftly shown a straight red card.
Andrade’s dismissal should have put the hosts in the ascendancy, but, in the 39th minute, Shackell’s shot deflected off Matt Taylor and wrong-footed Lawrence Vigouroux, who was beaten at his near post.
In first-half stoppage time it became 2-0 to the 10 men when Shay McCartan scored a wonderful volley high into the net.
Doughty slotted home a penalty in the 54th minute after Keshi Anderson was fouled by Lee Frecklington and Shackell became the second Lincoln man sent off, for a second yellow due to dissent.
Doughty fired in from range in the 88th minute to get Swindon a point, the least they deserved.
It then took an incredible double block on the goal-line from City defender Michael Bostwick to ensure the Imps went home with a point.
Swindon manager Richie Wellens was pleased with how his side acquitted themselves against the table-toppers.
He said: “I thought we were brilliant until the sending off. We came in at half-time 2-0 down because we made a mistake.
“Then they go down to nine and it becomes a farcical game because it’s attack versus defence and it’s about us trying to get in the right areas and we had umpteen opportunities.”
Wellens also hailed the impact of super-sub Doughty. He said: “There are loads and loads of positives, Michael Doughty’s come on and scored two which is one of the most pleasing things. “But I’ll only analyse it in the first 30 minutes where they’re top of the league and we looked like a really good team. Hopefully we can build on this moving forward.”