The second half saw the home side coming out with much more purpose, in an almost carbon-copy of the win against Rochdale at the weekend. Shrewsbury certainly had more possession and looked to play across the front of the 18-yard area, but with little danger. The only man I felt would do anything for them was Tracey, who is a Spurs youngster I would have no problem with moving to us on loan, as a squad player.
That said, the calibre of squad player at Sincil Bank is high, and Zack Elbouzedi is a prime example of that. He hasn’t played 90 minutes yet this season, but he broke on 50 minutes and looked to create a chance. His pull back was cleared, but the Imps pressed hard and got it back to the winger, who found Howarth, with the former Cefn Druids man shooting straight at the keeper.
It was the only decent chance of the opening 25 minutes of the second half, which certainly didn’t have the edge of the first period. Although with a single goal lead it was finely balanced as a contest, the Imps will know they never really looked like losing the lead. Eyoma and Melbourne looked assured in the middle of defence, with Roughan and Gotts turning in very different performances at full back – both played well with Gotts perhaps more attack-minded, but Roughan reminding us of his ability throughout the half.
Just before the 70-minute mark, the Imps finished the game off. Brennan Johnson was the architect, winning a slide tackle and then receiving a pass, pirouetting around Dave Edwards before accelerating through the middle. Naturally, he found Elbouzedi who appeared to be involved in everything. He might have been fortunate to deliver the ball to Howarth, who made no mistake with a turn and finish.
That gave the Imps a second wind, and with Jorge Grant on at half time the tricks started coming out. His used his heel to set Elbouzedi away, who curled a lovely effort at goal which was palmed away. After a quieter half, City had come alive and another goal looked likely.
When Salop did break, they didn’t look seriously dangerous. They did have a corner nodded across goal which Roughan had to nod out of play, and a couple of Crossfield balls from Donald Love might have been better had they made the right runs. Love did create a half chance for Dave Edwards, but his header was, frankly, rubbish.
With 12 minutes left on the clock, City rounded off a great evening with a fourth. Elbouzedi (again) was involved, picking out Roughan on the overlap. He fed in Johnson who played a lovely one-two with Scully, before being tripped as he shaped to finish in the area. No doubt at all in the decision and with Jorge Grant on the field, there was no doubt around the outcome either. 4-1 City, the perfect night.
Elbouzedi, troubling my spell checker tonight more than any other time since he arrived, almost created a fifth with his running. With the Imps 4-1 up, he might have ben forgiven for not hunting a ball back to the keeper, but his pressure caused the Salop stopper to play the ball straight out to Roughan. He got down the flank and lifted a ball over for Anderson, who was just under the header.
Hayden Cann got a run out with ten minutes to go, his second appearance for the Imps, and that is something this competition is great for. Yes, it has its critics, but Cann got minutes, whilst Elbouzedi and Howarth both sent timely reminders to supporters what they can offer, should the chance arise. Theo Archibald would likely have started had he been fit, but his bad luck was fortunate for Elbouzedi, who for me was Man of the Match (and comfortable at that).
Deep into stoppage time Shrewsbury had their best chances of the second period, both falling to Tracey. He got two shots away, both blocked by Imps. The second was intercepted by Max Melbourne, who started a break. Elbouzedi (obviously) and Johnson crafted a chance with the latter cutting the ball back towards Scully, who was just beaten to the ball by Scott Goldborne.
The final whistle sounded after three minutes of added time, bringing mercy upon the home side who had been toyed with like a cat playing with a half-dead mouse. It wasn’t that Salop were atrocious (although they were poor), but the Imps were excellent. There wasn’t a bad player on the field, not even one who you could say was ‘alright’. Jason Cummings was once a £1m striker, but he never got a sniff. Wherever he went on the pitch, he was marshalled and thwarted by any of the Imps back four. Max Melbourne has to be mentioned, he looked more than comfortable at left centre back, whilst TJ Eyoma makes the game look effortless wherever he plays. Robbie Gotts had Mark Hone purring with delight, whilst Sean Roughan still doesn’t look like a teenager making his first foray into senior football.
Michael Appleton was delighted after the game, noting that despite the six changes, the Imps were still recognisable. The boss also heaped praise on duo Zack Elbouzedi and Remy Howarth who both got goals after spells out of the side.
“The changes that we made changed nothing. The way we went about our business, the way we set up, and the areas of the pitch we countered in were the same they would have been if it was our so-called first eleven,” he told BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
“To be fair, he’s (Elbouzedi) been unfortunate and there have been occasions I wanted to throw him in and he had an injury, or he went away on international duty when he might have played. He came in before Covid and didn’t take his opportunity, he’ll be the first to admit that. Tonight, he got the chance, took that, got his goal and looked a threat.
“He was starting to look a threat against man City. He’ll be delighted, I’ll go to him and Zack because they’ve come in, the fact they got through 90 minutes shows tremendous qualities from their point of view.”
From a fan’s perspective, much depends how much stock you put in the trophy, but whether you are a Papa John’s critic or convert, the performance was still the same. At times, the ‘First XI’ haven’t been clinical, but it appears that is something they’re working on hard in training. When you look at our shots and chances ratio, the pessimist might say we should have won by more, but the grounded fan will see we are creating good chances, and taking a few too. Four different players hit the back of the net tonight and whatever the competition, that must be positive.
Shrewsbury will be different next Tuesday, different personnel and maybe even a different approach. However, whatever side we put out, whoever plays in the red and white, we won’t be different. That should worry Steve Cotterill’s men and it should worry Sunderland too. I think that’s three matches in four now where we have been very good, Plymouth, Rochdale and Shrewsbury all away from home. The one home match in the run where we found it difficult in spells brought three points and after a blip in early November, we have one defeat in eight matches.
Every time I turn iFollow on, the pessimist in me believes the bubble is going to burst. The realist in me, the one who watches, observes and formulates opinion, is beginning to wonder if maybe this is not just some run of form. I’m thinking we might be the real deal.