Half-time brought a change for the visitors, as Ronan Kpakio came on for Joe Bagan. It certainly shifted the balance again, and for 15 minutes, we looked likely to crumble in the face of some wonderful football.
It took minutes for them to draw level. Perry Ng orchestrated the move from deep, combining smartly with £19 million man Omari Kellyman and Salech before arriving on cue to finish past Wickens from the edge of the box. It was hard not to admire a lovely, sweeping move, and in the moments after, they applied some real pressure.
That equaliser sparked a spell of pressure, with successive corners pinning City back and Wickens forced into action as Cardiff sensed a shift in momentum. Robertson, Ashford and Wintle all drew good saves from Wickens, with the loud travelling support right on his back. Wintle’s effort came on 61 minutes, and on 63 minutes, Michael made a change.
I did chuckle as I heard a few groans as we went to a back three, Towler and Obikwu on for Draper and Moylan. At times, it looked like a back four, and whatever it was, it worked. The next 36 minutes of football brought just a single Cardiff effort, and enough chances for us to win 3-1. Kudos to the coaching team and Michael Skubala, because I hear so often that our changes are uninspiring, but actually, once again, they directly changed the game.
Having reclaimed control of the play, we got back ahead in the most Lincoln way possible. Darikwa’s shot deflected behind for a corner, Bayliss delivered with precision, and Bradley climbed highest at the back post to power a header beyond Turner, a goal that felt both inevitable and thoroughly deserved. Had there not been utter delirium in the stands, I am pretty sure we would have sung “set piece again”. In truth, our set-piece xG has been better this season than last, and Bradley’s goal was something that felt like it had been coming every time we put the ball in from corners and throws.
There were chances to put the game beyond doubt. Rob Street created space inside the area before Bayliss dragged an outside-of-the-boot effort narrowly wide, while another set piece saw Bradley again win first contact, flicking on for Street, whose sharp turn and shot failed to find the target. If this were a boxing match, we were the ones looking for the knockout, and as the game rumbled on, Cardiff were the ones putting the gloves in front of their face and hoping for a miracle.
The closing stages were managed with absolute maturity, with the players on the field chasing everything. McGrandles, as always, was excellent, while Josh Honohan must be watching Adam Reach and relishing a battle at left back. Reach has been an inspired capture, possibly the best left-field free agent signing since Neal Eardley in 2018.
Even as I write that, I want to mention every other player. Nobody had a bad game, not a single player. Freddie worked tirelessly in the first half, and on another day, Rob Street has a brace before the 90 is up. To a man, City were excellent, and when the final whistle brought the curtain down on our pre-Christmas schedule, we emerged as worthy winners against a side almost certainly one of the best we will see this season.
Five home league wins on the spin is no small achievement at this level, nor the fact we still have not trailed for any significant period of time. Once again, as against Doncaster, Luton and Barnsley, we fought back from the disappointment of losing the lead to take maximum points. This is a Lincoln City team with character and belief, a team that may not be peppered with exquisite talents like Kellyman, or multi-million-pound strikers like Salech, but one that has attributes money cannot buy, and one that, in my opinion, has the best manager and coaching staff in League One.
Up the Imps