City remained six points clear in second with a resounding 4-1 victory at Home Park this afternoon, backed by a superb 600 travelling fans.
It’s a 600-mile round trip for many supporters, but they were vocal from start to finish. The home support numbered 15,000 and while they had plenty to say after Bim Pepple’s opener, Freddie Draper soon had the minority singing loudest.
By the time Reeco Hackett had added two more, only the Lincolnshire lungs were being tested, and Ryan Oné’s late fourth sent us home singing up the M5.
Supporters turn up to watch their team through thick and thin, but Michael Skubala said in his post-match interview that he feels City fans are not just turning up to watch the matches.
“It really feels like they are not just coming here to watch,” he said from the Home Park press conference room. “They are coming here to be part of the journey and part of the result.
“It feels like when we need them, they help us, and they should be really proud of that. I am really proud of the club and the fans.”
City now have a six-point gap to Bolton Wanderers, who have played a game more, while it’s eight points to Stockport in fourth. There are 16 games to go, starting with a huge six-pointer against the Trotters next weekend.
The Imps are on the cusp of history, and Michael was genuinely passionate when mentioning them this evening. He wasn’t paying the fans’ efforts lip service; it was genuine.
“It does not feel like they are just coming here to watch, they are coming here to play their part. We are going to need them through thick and thin, good and bad.
“In the first 20 minutes at 1-0 down, you could really hear the fans supporting the lads. Then at the end, when we are kicking into them, you can see them willing the ball on, and it is great.”
It’s a great point he makes about attacking your own fans. We have tried to stop visiting teams kicking towards their own supporters at the Bank, and it definitely played a small part as we registered our joint-biggest win ever at Home Park, and the biggest since January 21, 1956.