A Reeco Hackett brace helped Lincoln City defeat Play-Off chasing Barnsley, cementing their position in the top six places in League One.
Barnsley started proceedings better, something the home side were more accustomed to doing during the early parts of the season. But after Davis Keillor-Dunn headed at George Wickens, it became mostly one-way traffic towards the Tykes’ goal. City’s first major opportunity began at the other end, with Lincoln’s goalkeeper starting an Imps attack. Jack Moylan played a lovely one-two with Freddie Draper, and he was away, racing down on goal. But Moylan’s final touch was slightly too heavy, allowing Murphy Cooper to smother, stopping the Republic of Irishman from rounding him for a certain opener.
City soon missed another big opportunity. Tom Hamer’s long throw arrived at the feet of Reeco Hackett, and the Tykes could only half-clear to Draper, picking himself off the deck before skying from close range. On a rare Barnsley attack, Wickens miskicked a clearance, sending the ball spiralling behind for a corner. But Luca Connell swung the set-piece out before the ball came back in, and the chance to test City’s defence was gone. The Tykes were soon back at their hosts, when Connell found Patrick Kelly. Jonathan Bland quickly released the ball to play in Vimal Yoganathan, but he skewed wide, into the away end.
Then came sustained Imps pressure. Moylan created an opening for himself, though his initial effort was blocked. Adam Reach sent the ball deep into the area for Cooper to push to Hackett, but the goalkeeper was quickly back on his feet to deny the City forward. Barnsley were unable to clear their lines, and Reach got past Bland to chip into Moylan, flashing the ball wide of the goal with a difficult volleyed effort. And the South Yorkshire outfit failed to heed that warning, as the home side took a first-half lead.
Starting with a long Tom Hamer throw, the visitors never fully cleared their lines. The ball was eventually worked to the other flank with Tendayi Darikwa slipping in Moylan. With his route to goal blocked, he played a short pass into Hackett, taking one touch back inside past Tennai Watson before firing an unstoppable effort through a sea of players and into the far corner. Moylan had enjoyed an excellent showing at Oakwell in March 2024, and he was having another top performance against the same opposition. In first half stoppage time, only the finish was lacking in an excellent Barnsley move. Bland played a first time ball down the right side for Yoganathan, who capitalised on a double slip from Tom Bayliss to find Keillor-Dunn in the middle, but his shot was saved.
History Strikes Twice
The last time Lincoln faced a side from South Yorkshire, Doncaster Rovers, the Imps responded extremely quickly to being pegged back midway through the second half. Last night, the exact same scenario presented itself again, but with even less time between the two goals. Barnsley were good value for their equaliser based on their early second period endeavours. Much like the opening 45 minutes, they started brightly, with the impressive Reyes Cleary gets past a few Imps defenders, forcing Wickens into a save with his feet.
Lincoln’s number one was called into action once more to deny Kelly, after he was played in by Adam Phillips. The Lincolnshire outfit reminded their opponents of their quality, and that they should be better in possession, when Bayliss nicked the ball from Phillips after a heavy touch. Playing a quick give and go with Moylan, City’s number eight flashing the ball across goal, Cooper getting the slightest of touches on it to keep it out.
But at the other end, Barnsley levelled the scores midway through the second period. This time, it was the Imps were unable to deal with the second phase of play, and Bland delivered a terrific low ball into the six yard box. No Imps defenders reacted, and there was Keillor-Dunn to guide the ball home with ease. But straight from the kick-off, Lincoln responded in double quick time.
This time, the Tykes defenders were nowhere to be seen until too late, allowing Bayliss to make a diagonal run onto Wickens long punt downfield and expertly guide it over the onrushing Cooper. And three minutes later, the game was over. Another Hamer long-throw was headed to Sonny Bradley on the byline by Maël de Gevigney. The City centre-half dinked the ball across the six yard box for the unmarked Hackett to head home, and seal the points.
There were no real moments of note following that Imps third, as Barnsley had no answer, highlighting their inconsistencies once again. For the Imps, they move up to third place, picking up 23 points at the LNER Stadium, the joint-highest tally at home in the top four tiers this season. Second-bottom Blackpool are next up for Michael Skubala’s side on Saturday, while Conor Hourihine will be looking for a reaction from his outfit against Leyton Orient.
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