The Imps put Swindon Town to the sword scoring four goals and making it two wins on the spin at the start of the 2018/19 Skybet League Two Season. John Akinde netted his first goal in City colours, before Michael Bostwick doubled the lead. Swindon were to pull a goal back from the spot but Harry Toffolo and Matt Green rounded out the scoring to secure a resounding victory for Danny Cowley's men.

Lee Frecklington led the team out for the first time as Club Captain at Sincil Bank in front of an almost sell out crowd against Swindon Town with Michael O’ Connor making his Imps’ debut.

It was a bright start from both sides under the bright August sun and John Akinde made the first inroads towards the Robin’s penalty area as he burst from halfway on the right, but his path to goal was just halted at the crucial moment by Dion Conroy.  The next run into the area though was to bring the opening goal, Harry Anderson darted into the area and was brought down, a penalty was awarded and up stepped JOHN AKINDE to roll the ball into the goal to the keeper’s right.

The lead was nearly doubled within ten minutes as the Imps were rampant, Anderson again a huge threat down the right, making it to the byline to cross low into the area it ran through to Bruno Andrade who sidefooted on target, bringing a fine low stop from Lawrence Vigouroux in the Swindon goal.

City’s movement was slick and down the right the threat continued to come, neat hold up play by Akinde held up things with three Swindon players in close attention, the goalscorer slid it through to Neal Eardley, his cross wasn’t turned in at the first attempt, Akinde tried his luck with the bobbling ball but his shot was blocked as Swindon held on. O’ Connor moments later rattled the crossbar with a fine shot from the edge of the area which took a deflection on its way through resulting in a corner. Andrade swung it over from the right, Frecklington was in there and the home side just couldn’t clear, MICHAEL BOSTWICK did the rest prodding the ball home doubling The Imps’ lead sending the home crowd into raptures.

Swindon’s forays into City’s half were initially brief as the home defence continued to stand very strong and affording the visitors little more than a sniff of an opening. However, they were to slowly get themselves back into the game as the clock ticked towards the break. Steven Alzate was the first to force Josh Vickers into a save, the low grasscutter though didn’t have the requisite purchase on it to really trouble the goal. Jermaine McGlashan did then force Vickers into a save, the number seven made a smart run into the area only to see the Imps’ stopper racing towards him to close the angle and McGlashan hurriedly poked the ball goalwards but Vickers was there.  But the increase in pressure paid dividents for the visitors when they were awarded a penalty for handball as the ball struck O’Connor. Up stepped Michael Doughty to clip the ball home to reduce the arrears.

As the first half went into injury time, Anderson had everyone off their seats as he took the ball around 65 yards outsmarting two Swindon defenders in a lungbusting run from deep inside his own half, but he was eventually forced a little wide and his cross shot flashed across the area before the whistle brought to an end an exciting first 45 minutes.

Half Time

The Imps 2 Swindon Town 1

Anderson continued his form from the first half, using his pace and trickery to beat Matt Taylor after being found expertly by McCartan, the number 26 pinged in a cross towards Akinde but it was just cut out at the last. On the opposite side of the pitch Andrade was also making things difficult for the visitors, just after he was brought down on the right, the ball was swept crossfield to Eardley who hit an absolute cannon of an effort which Vigouroux somehow managed to dive and tip round the upright.

Swindon were positive in possession and Alzate showed his skills to set the Robins away into the City half, Doughty was brought down just outside the area but Taylor couldn’t net the equaliser from the set piece with the ball going wide with Vickers calmly covering his left hand post.

The triumvirate of McCartan, Akinde and Anderson once again linked to provide the threat for The Imps, with Anderson being released out wide to get a shot away but the angle proved to be a little too narrow as the shot raced across the face of goal much to the relief of Vigouroux who dived low to his right without being able to block the effort.

Bostwick’s header from an Eardley centre forced Vigouroux into a stop, before Bostwick then was involved back at the other end of the field diving to head an effort from Keshi Anderson wide of goal.  Swindon pushed for the equaliser as they kicked towards their own supporters with City holding station in typical resilient fashion as the game went into the final twenty minutes. 

Jason Shackell came on to make his debut for City slotting into the defence alongside Scott Wharton with Bostwick moving into midfield. Shackell’s composure under pressure fed Toffolo and his ball down the line to Andrade set him free but Vigouroux again came to the Robins rescue. But much like the other goals in the game up to this point, the initial threat was a precursor to a goal.   Andrade clipped the ball to the back post where Matt Green knocked it down into the path of TOFFOLO who raced into the six-yard box to turn the ball home.  The Imps weren’t finished there though, Tom Pett taking control of the ball before dinking it over to GREEN who took advantage of a static visiting defence to race though and slot home City’s fourth of the game and secure all three points for The Imps.

Full Time

The Imps 4 Swindon Town 1

The Teams: 

The Imps

1          Josh VICKERS

4          Michael O’CONNOR

6          Scott WHARTON

8          Lee FRECKLINGTON

11       Bruno ANDRADE

14       Harry TOFFOLO

16       Michael BOSTWICK

17       Shay McCARTAN

23       Neal EARDLEY

26       Harry ANDERSON

29       John AKINDE

Substitutes

21       Grant SMITH

5          Jason SHACKELL (72’ for O’Connor)

7          Tom PETT (65’ for McCartan)

9          Matt RHEAD

10       Matt GREEN (77’ for Akinde)

12       Ellis CHAPMAN

15       James WILSON

GOAL: Akinde 10’ (Pen), Bostwick 29’, Toffolo 79’, Green 83’

Swindon Town

1          Laurence VIGOUROUX

2          Kyle KNOYLE

3          Michael DOUGHTY

6          Olly LANCASHIRE

7          Jermaine McGLASHAN

10       Keshi ANDERSON

11       Steven ALZATE

16       Martin SMITH

17       Elijah ADEBAYO

26       Dion CONROY

31       Matt TAYLOR

Substitutes

23       Luke McCORMICK

4          Jak McCOURT (69’ for Smith)

5          Sid NELSON

14       Ellis IANDOLO

20       Toumani DIAGOURAGA

24       Scott TWINE (69’ for Alzate)

25       Joe ROMANSKI

Goal: Doughty (Pen) 44’

Booking: Doughty 80’

Referee: Michael Salisbury

Assistants: Geoffrey Liddle & Alix Pashley

4^th Official: Ian Dudley

Attendance: 8.409 (491 Swindon Town Supporters)