Danny Cowley has expressed his delight with Lincoln’s impressive start to the 2019/10 season. The Imps boss spoke highly of his squad following an away win against former Premier League side Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup.
“It has been an excellent start to life in League One for us. To win our first two league games and then to be able to back that up with a win away in the Carabao Cup represents an outstanding return,” explained Cowley.
“Whilst we have had our challenges and difficulties off the pitch, we have certainly enjoyed the run of the ball on the pitch. For us, we are pleased with the start but as always, we will not get carried away.
“We will stay humble, continue to work hard and keep learning. While the results have been perfect, the process, as expected, has a lot of scope for improvement. We look forward to continuing to work hard on the training ground as we strive to make these gains.”
Danny continued by reflecting on Tuesday night’s victory praising the sides desire to win at all costs.
“We played with a real energy that comes from our natural desire and will to win. We pressed Huddersfield aggressively and forced them into mistakes in their own half. It took them 35 minutes to get into our penalty area. We did everything but score in the early part of the match. They changed their system and enjoyed a good end to the first half.
“We managed to make some tweaks at half time and regain the control. We scored from a counter-press, with Harry Anderson eventually getting on the end of an excellent Harry Toffolo cross. It was the least Harry deserved, in fact, it was the least we deserved.
“Although Huddersfield made changes they still ended the game with five players that featured regularly in the Premier League last year. We should not underestimate the level of achievement on Tuesday night. We are a very small squad in numbers but we are full of work ethic, determination and enthusiasm.”
The Imps boss went on to discuss the second round Carabao Cup draw against Everton, a side the Imps faced in January during the 2018/19 FA Cup campaign. Danny also spoke about the importance of the fixture and that he hopes it will be televised to bring in much-needed finances.
“I was delighted for Clive (Nates) that we drew Everton at Sincil Bank. I know how much it will mean to him. We are now all hoping for the game to be televised and then a packed out Sincil Bank. This will definitely bring some much-needed finance that hopefully we can use help the squad.
“In terms of status, we could not have had a more difficult draw in the Carabao Cup. With a small squad, depleted with some key injuries we had to manage the group accordingly. We made as many changes as we could, five in total and then managed the rest of the group with some pre-determined substitutions. This makes an already tough game, near impossible. For the players to perform at the level that they did was simply amazing. I am not often surprised by football anymore, but Tuesday was one of those nights.”
Cowley finished by praising City fans for their impressive support so far this season. The Imps boss also spoke about Saturday’s game against Southend United explaining how it will be a tough game.
“The support we have been getting so far has been amazing. The fans always seem to be able to find new levels,” said Danny.
“Saturday will be a really tough game against an opponent that has an excellent blend of experienced players accompanied with young exciting talent. They also have a manager who has experience across all of the divisions.
“The fact they have lost their first two league games just re-emphasises how tough this league is. As always, we will need the support on Saturday, the fans contribution can influence the outcome of the game so I want them to come to the match focused and ready to make a difference.”
Tickets are on sale for Saturday's fixture against Southend United HERE.
