Six Education: Imps 6-0 Cambridge United

There’s zero doubt we started both halves well, and if the first goal had shades of game over for me, the third certainly killed it off. If Cambridge came out all guns blazing and got one back, it could have been a contest. Instead, we were the team with the master plan. The goal was relatively easy, not unlike Makama’s on Saturday. However, it had a little peppering of Danny Mandroiu, a man who we’ve learned more about in two games than the previous 20. He’s dropped deep and has been a revelation, and his cross, deliciously delivered with the outside of his boot in an outrageous show of skill that will get lost in an avalanche of goals, ensured Joe Taylor could bag his fourth of the campaign for the Imps.

Mandroiu created a great chance for Taylor to get a second, winning the ball high up the pitch from Brophy and playing the Luton man through. His shot was weak, but he didn’t have to wait long for another chance. A long ball from Roughan found Moylan, who broke free, feeding Taylor once again. This time, the finish was there and he dinked it over the keeper for 4-0.

In between, Cambridge had a bit of a spell – Brophy curled one at Jensen, who had to be full stretch to palm the ball away. The xG will tell you Cambridge should have had a goal, and they can feel a little aggrieved at the scoreline I think. It was, perhaps, a 4-1 game, rather than a 6-0, but the difference is confidence. We began to zip the ball about like we were playing part-timers in the FA Cup, whilst Cambridge fitted the role of part-timers well. I felt for their supporters, who began a conga at one point, because they weren’t at their best, and they were facing the team of the moment in the division.

Goals five and six came from players brought on to give others a rest. I wrote about Dylan Duffy last week, and he had a strong showing from the bench. Paudie O’Connor could have scored from Duffy’s corner, the Cambridge keeper pulling off a tremendous save. From Bishop’s shot, Eyoma was left with a tap-in, albeit a backheeled tap-in, for his third of the season. The 24-year-old had two career goals coming into this season, he now has five.

The final goal was all about Duffy’s perseverance. Ethan Erhahon started the move, Ted carried the ball forward with purpose and Diffy got a second bite of the cherry after his shot was blocked. Such was the hunger for a goal, Ted was also steaming in to strike. At that point, I did wonder if everything we touched was going to go in. We’ve bagged 11 goals in two games now – we only scored ten in the league between beating Blackpool 3-0 in August and beating Orient 1-0 in November.

What’s changed? It’s easy to say we’ve got players back, but we were missing plenty last night. The difference has to be Michael Skubala and the coaching team. He, Tom Shaw and Chris Cohen have had time on the training pitch, and I think we look well-drilled and ambitious. Our players chase everything down, they’re committed to challenges. Even at 6-0, Makama lost the ball and tracked back a good 30 yards, past the player his errant pass was aimed at, to try and win it back. All over the field, players some had suggested had attitude problems seem to be playing for the head coach. There’s a togetherness in the squad that perhaps hasn’t been seen (out of lockdown) since the days of King Cowley.

We’re playing some lovely football as well. There’s always a pass one, and yesterday it felt like ten against twelve at times. We’re not afraid to go back, but it’s not negative, it’s always with a view to coming back in a channel. We go long when needed, but some of those long passes are pinpoint – Danny Mandroiu doesn’t hit aimless balls forward, but he does play long passes. Same for Sean Roughan – he’s been excellent of late, by the way. It looks effortless, but that is far from the truth. There’s an awful lot goes into the outcomes we are seeing right now, an awful lot.

I could go through the team, but who do I single out after last night? How do you put one or two players over the others, when even your subs are involved in goals and assists? You can’t, so I won’t. I will say this – Lincoln City are outstanding right now. Imagine this team, organised as they are, but with four players back. Imagine this team with a full pre-season behind them, with months to absorb Michael Skubala’s approach. I did wonder, back when we interviewed Michael, if this might happen. Remember, this is a coach sent out to other countries by UEFA to implement his methods and share his knowledge. That sort of recognition only comes if you’re excellent at what you do; not just good. Excellent. I have believed in Skubala since the moment I met him, and I think even those who held off or are not as easily swayed are beginning to see we made the right decision.

Okay, 2200 words in, so I have to broach the subject. Play-offs. Ten days ago, I confidently wrote that the dream was over. It isn’t. We’re right in that conversation now, three points outside the top six. Stevenage’s manager is confident, but others not so much. Orient have tumbled away, and Oxford’s confidence will have taken a massive knock as well. Three of Stevenage’s next four games are Orient, Bolton and Posh tonight. Oxford, who have won just two of their last 12 matches, play Peterborough and Stevenage back to back in April, and reeling them in is in our hands- our goal difference is ten better than theirs, and if we beat them at the Kassam a week on Saturday, we’ll go above them. If (and it’s all ifs) we do beat them, and Derby beat Blackpool on Good Friday, we could go above them as well.

We’re in the conversation, firmly, absolutely and without shame. That’s the final thing League One should learn from this Six Education session; Lincoln City are serious right now. Deadly serious.

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