Lincoln City produced a strong second-half display to beat Leyton Orient in SkyBet League One action.
Goals from young strike duo Jovon Makama and Freddie Draper were enough to secure the three points, while Dan Agyei’s strike threatened to spark an O’s comeback late in the piece.
Lincoln City Go Six Unbeaten:
Lincoln City stretched their unbeaten run to six games, putting in a strong second-half performance against Richie Wellens’ Leyton Orient.
Three draws, including over Blackpool on Tuesday night, and two wins have seen the Imps steadily climb into the play-off places. They sat in fourth at kick-off.
While their away form had been stellar, with Tom Hamer’s late equaliser by the coast adding a 14th game to the club’s unbeaten run on the road, it had not been the same at home. This was only Lincoln’s second win of the season on their own patch.
A Game of Two Halves:
It was one of those games that fitted the old footballing adage ‘a game of two halves’. The first was devoid of any true energy, especially on the Lincoln City side of things. Leyton Orient had gone close, smacking the post and crossbar in quick succession.
After the break it was a different game. The Imps shot out of the blocks like a greyhound at a race track, surging into the lead with a period of intense pressure. It was a reversal of fortunes from the first 45 minutes, where they looked helpless and unable to create anything meaningful in the attacking third.
As a spectacle, the second period of play was far superior to the turgid first-half of football that was served up.
Jovon Makama Impresses:
The scorer of the game’s opening goal, Jovon Makama impressed throughout the afternoon. He was replaced on the hour mark by Sheffield Wednesday loanee Bailey Cadamarteri, who shone himself in Lincoln City’s last home outing.
The striker had pinpoint accuracy for his goal, hammering a diving header past a helpless Zach Hemming. He should have doubled his tally moments later when he powered his way in behind the Leyton Orient defence. Somehow his effort went wide, but he was proving to be quite the handful.
The O’s are seemingly a team he enjoys playing against, after netting the decisive late winner in last season’s LNER Stadium meeting between the two sides.
Dan Agyei Provides a Threat:
While Dan Agyei’s goal may have come in the second-half, quite out of the blue, he was dangerous throughout their first 45 minutes. The winger was a threat down the Lincoln right, easing his way back Tendayi Darikwa on multiple occasions and providing a number of chances that could have given Orient the lead.
He, alongside club top-scorer Charlie Kelman, delivered an attacking bright spark in the autumnal Lincolnshire sunshine.
Ethan Hamilton Returns from Injury:
The headline team news of the day was on the bench, as Ethan Hamilton returned to the matchday squad for the first time since February.
He come on late in the second-half for a cameo appearance, easing his way back into the hectic League One schedule. The Scottish midfielder had been sidelined for more than seven months, but will now work his way back towards being able to play a full 90 minutes as the busy Christmas slate of fixtures edges ever nearer.