The Imps made it four home games unbeaten with an excellent victory over promotion-chasing Huddersfield Town at the LNER Stadium on Tuesday evening.
A committed performance from Michael Skubala’s side was rewarded with all three points, which were earned thanks to Reeco Hackett’s goal in the first half.
The attacker was on-hand to convert on the goalline following a Jackson flick-on at the near post from a Bayliss corner and the Imps restricted their visitors to no shots on target as they saw out the win.
Michael Skubala made four changes to the side for the hosting of the Terriers, with suspended skipper Paudie O’Connor replaced by Adam Jackson. Ethan Hamilton, James Collins and Joe Gardner also came into the side, with Conor McGrandles, Erik Ring and Ben House taking their place on the bench.
A flowing move from the Terriers saw Taylor lash the first opening of the game wide. Hogg fed Wiles who fizzed a ball across the area which was met by the former City loanee, who couldn’t keep his effort on target with five gone.
The visitors had a spell of pressure with 14 minutes on the clock. A corner from Wiles was punched clear by Wickens but only as far as Hogg. The visiting skipper picked out Koroma on the left, who saw his delivery flash across goal and into the feet of Taylor, but he slipped at the vital moment, allowing the Imps to clear.
Gardner – starting his first game since joining on loan from Nottingham Forest in January – showed great feet to move away from his marker before teeing up Hackett, who saw his cross turned behind for a corner before it could reach the lurking Collins.
The visitors earned a corner of their own when Roughan was forced to put the ball behind following a lightning quick counter attack from Koroma. Wiles’ delivery was cleared as far as Kasumu, who lashed over one 23 minutes.
Four minutes later, it took an excellent piece of defending from Roughan to deny Taylor the opening goal. The forward was played through by Wiles, but his run was tracked by the Academy graduate, who got across to make a superbly-timed sliding tackle.
With 33 minutes on the clock, City attacked down the other end with Makama on the right flank. He did well to manoeuvre away from Ruffels and deliver, but his cross was inches away from Collins.
Michael Skubala’s team had the lead 10 minutes before the break, and it came from a set-piece. Bayliss’ delivery was flicked on at the near post by Jackson, with Hackett making the telling touch on the goal line.
The Imps were finishing the half strongly and clearly playing with confidence as Hackett took aim from 25 yards on the volley, but his ambitious effort was just wide of the target.
The visitors were still carrying a threat at the other end, and it took another impeccably timed intervention, this time from Hamer, to prevent Marshall getting on the end of a slide-rule pass from Kasumu as the home side went in ahead.
The visitors had the first opportunity of the second half on 49 minutes. The ball was worked out wide for Koroma, who cut inside before bending an effort off target. The attacker again tried his luck 11 minutes later, but his free kick was over.
The Imps were defending resolutely as the play-off chasers continued to turn the screw. Wiles drove through the heart of midfield and teed up Marshall, but Hamer was on-hand to turn it behind once again. From the resulting corner, Hackett was forced to clear a goalbound effort off the line.
Substitute Freddie Draper engineered a counter for City with 15 minutes remaining. The striker outmuscled Hogg before teeing up Makama, who saw his ferocious drive from wide-right beaten away by Nicholls.
Draper then saw the keeper off his line inside the final 10 minutes and tried his luck from just inside his own half, but his low drive was never troubling Nicholls.
City were saved by the offside flag with four minutes remaining when Hodge was found in space on the right flank and looked to pick out Taylor, who had just strayed ahead of the last man, much to the relief of the home contingent inside the LNER Stadium.
And that would be the Terriers’ last sniff of an equaliser, as the Imps held firm to see out the victory.
Imps: Wickens, Darikwa, Jackson, Hackett (House 68’), Bayliss (McGrandles 78’), Hamilton, Hamer, Roughan, Collins (Draper 68’), Makama, Gardner (Jefferies 68’).
Unused: Jeacock, Montsma, Ring.
Huddersfield Town: Nicholls, Ruffels, Pearson, Hogg, Marshall (Roosken 74’), Wiles, Koroma (Hodge 80’), Kasumu (Chirewa 80’), Turton (Sorensen 55’), Taylor, Balker (Evans 73’).
Unused: Chapman, Ladapo, Evans.
Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo
Attendance: 8,755 (962 away)
