An outstanding moment from Jack Moylan was enough for Lincoln City to emerge victorious for the third game in a row at Wigan Athletic.
In truth, this result could be summed up with the two words in the title. City did just enough to edge past a resilient Latics side, who put up a stern fight in the second period and probably deserved a point. But our in-form Irishman produced one moment of quality to settle the game in the first half.
I think there’s been a lot said about the performance yesterday, and how it was some way off from how we played against Bradford City on Tuesday evening. I genuinely believe that was the best I’ve ever seen a Lincoln side play, and while that doesn’t say a lot at my age (21), it is virtually impossible to maintain those levels in consecutive games.
And other people may point out our run in March 2024, when we scored a staggering 16 times in three matches. That just doesn’t happen regularly, and I’m not sure we will ever replicate that run again. Away games are meant to be tough; that’s why our home form has been so critical this season.
Remember, we went almost three months without winning an away league game between Peterborough United at the end of September and Stockport County on Boxing Day. The vast majority of sides will pick up more points at home than away. Clubs like Derby County, who won 5-0 away at Bristol City on Friday evening, are an anomaly in terms of having a superior record away from home.
So, why am I telling you this? Well, Derby are a side that the Imps could be facing next season, and we took another step closer with this latest victory. I suppose I’d better talk about the actual game now!
Wigan isn’t actually the easiest place to get to in the world, even from my university accommodation in Sheffield. It requires a couple of trains, unlike the trip to Plymouth next weekend, and is a fair walk from the station. Unsurprisingly, City went with the same line-up, as predicted, for a fourth game in a row. How could there be any changes after Tuesday night?! There was one alteration on the bench, though, as new signing Ryan One replaced Erik Ring. That does raise the question of where the Swede’s Imps career goes from here?
I have only visited The Brick Community Stadium once before, for a sold-out FA Cup tie against Manchester United. It looked like a shadow of its former glories as the teams emerged, with three half-empty stands, and that’s being kind. Interestingly, the declared attendance was 9436, which I suspect was some way higher than the actual number of supporters in the ground. But it does feel difficult working that out, when their ground is 2.5x the size of ours.
Onto the action. I felt an early goal would kill this game, and the Imps started on the front foot. With only a couple of minutes on the clock, a long Tom Hamer throw was flicked onto the top of Sam Tickle’s net by Sonny Bradley. And the fast start continued with an excellent move, beginning with a Bradley header. Freddie Draper cushioned the ball for Jack Moylan to poke forward for the wide run of Rob Street. It was a really clever ball that opened up the Latics’ defence, but the home side did just enough to put the former Doncaster Rovers loanee off. His finish curled narrowly wide of the far post with Tickle well beaten.
Wigan’s first sight of goal came in the 12th minute, as Callum Wright played a good give-and-go with Maleace Asamoah, which saw the former sting the gloves of George Wickens. It was a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area that City’s number one tipped over the crossbar, though the ball appeared to be going over without his intervention. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
A game between two sides with the lowest possession stats in League One was never going to be a classic. It looks like the Latics have jumped a few places after they had 64% of the ball yesterday, a fifth more than they typically would have in a third-tier fixture. In the first half at least, they were very lacklustre in possession, and once such a moment created an Imps breakaway. It actually started with Tendayi Darikwa carelessly giving the ball back to the hosts, before a sliding Draper intervention in midfield allowed Moylan to wriggle free in the centre of the park. He once again played a lovely ball through to Street, who was bundled over by James Carragher.
Despite the incessant shouts from the away end, referee Carl Brook waved play on. At first glance, I thought that was completely fair; it was a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge. But the Latics centre-half made no attempt to play the ball, and it looks like there’s more of an arm in there too, rather than just his shoulder, so I think we can feel a little hard done by.
There were some lovely passages of play in the opening 45 minutes from ourselves, really quick and full of quality. Ivan Varfolomeev sent a lofted ball wide to Adam Reach, who sent a similarly good knock towards Moylan on the by-line. City’s number ten was enjoying an excellent afternoon and sent an inviting ball into the six-yard box that Will Aimson had to head over the top. From the following set-piece, Wigan hit on the counter-attack. The impressive Asamoah released Joe Taylor, who had just Reeco Hackett to beat with City stretched. But the Imps winger did superbly to force Taylor wide and into a hashed and frustrated effort from a promising position.
Then came the moment of the afternoon, and the eventual matchwinner. Conor McGrandles’ role in this goal will go under the radar, but he was really composed in waiting to find the pass to play to Moylan just outside the area. As that ball is released, chants aimed at Ryan Lowe can be heard from the home supporters. That then turned to boos, as Aimson is taken out of the equation by Moylan, who feigned to shoot and then progressed into the box. Tickle came rushing out, but the former Shelbourne man said ‘thank you very much’ and sent a magnificent dink over one of the best goalkeepers at this level and into the far corner. Jensen Weir on the line could do nothing to stop the ball nestling in the net, and City were deservedly ahead.
After Asamoah fired wide from a corner, City went for a killer second. A marauding run from Street released Hackett, who, on his weaker right foot, sent a first-time effort towards the bottom right-hand corner that Tickle was able to deny. Then it was Moylan’s turn to try and double his and City’s tally, but his powerful effort went over the home crossbar. That was about the last real action of the first half, as City went in at the interval a goal to the good.