Imps boss Michael Appleton was pleased with the character on display from his side as they claimed a memorable win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Appleton could name only three outfield players on the bench on Tuesday night, yet his side impressed as they recorded back-to-back victories to start 2022.
He said: “There were so many factors which were against us. We showed character at the right times and with the character we had tonight, with a little more care we could have gone on and won by more.
“This are our first back-to-back wins of the season and that has taken too long to come, but for us to do it against two very good, but different sides, isn’t bad for little old Lincoln.”
With a congested fixture schedule for the Imps, the boss is pleased with how his squad rose to the occasion at the Stadium of Light and is satisfied with the work being done to bolster his team this transfer window.
He added: “We’ve got some big away games to come yet this season so for me to see what we have done here is really pleasing.
“For us to deal with the spell they had after the penalty and come through it, we’ve got to be happy. I’ve seen teams come here and get blown away by being too passive. I thought the only way we could come here and win the game is by being really competitive, which we were.
“You look at the rest of the month and the fixtures we have in February, it’s going to take a big effort for the players so you cannot play the same team for 12, 13, or 14 games. You need to rotate the squad and give some players rest.”