Peterborough United were excellent for 30 minutes, but then reality set in...
There was half an hour of rich promise from Peterborough United before they suffered a reality check at Lincoln City on Sunday.
Posh have worked their way up the League One table by beating some weaker sides narrowly in the last few weeks, but they were ultimately exposed by the physical excellence of the high-flying hosts who came from behind, and from being outplayed, to run out comfortable 5-2 winners.
Posh kept going until the end, but rarely threatened a comeback after conceding two goals in first-half added time to trail 3-1 at the break. Harry Leonard had given Posh a deserved lead, and Kyrell Lisbie gave the visitors second-half hope, although that was extinguished within 90 seconds and Lincoln cruised home from there.
Posh made two changes to their starting line-up with goal-scoring substitute Brandon Khela promoted from the bench, while top scorer Harry Leonard replaced Gustav Lindgren up front. Donay O’Brien-Brady was the midfielder to make way for Khela and he was joined among the replacements by transfer listed goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic and rookie striker Pemi Aderoju who was fresh from a free-scoring loan spell with Eastbourne Borough.
The high-flying Imps were unchanged as they looked to close out an excellent festive period which has yielded away wins at Stockport County and Barnsley and a home draw with Huddersfield.
This was a meeting between League One’s most in-form sides as Posh sat atop the current form table from the last six games with Lincoln close behind.
Posh were expecting a fast home start, but it didn’t arrive. Posh played all the football for 25 minutes against lethargic looking opposition despite the narrow, bumpy pitch with a healthy grass covering.
Khela shot just wide from 20 yards and Declan Frith cut inside and shot over. Matt Garbett was prominent, shrugging off fouls which could have led to cautions and Lisbie also threatened danger on his flank.
A Posh goal looked likely and arrived on 24 minutes when Khela advanced before feeding Lisbie. His low cross was converted from close range by Harry Leonard, but a five-minute stoppage because on an injury to assistant referee came at a bad time.
The replacement lino made an excellent non-offside call in the build-up to Reeco Hackett’s equaliser on 34 minutes and Lincoln scored twice more in added time with Posh appealing in vain for fouls.
Freddie Draper scored from close range after a ball allowed to bounce in the penalty area caused problems and then a terrific strike from Tendayi Darikwa from 20 yards really rubbed Posh noses in it.
Peter Kioso had a chance to get Posh back into it after Tom Lees had nodded the ball to him from a corner, but Carl Johnston then had to scamper back to stop Hackett scoring a fourth Lincoln goal.
Posh never touched those first-half heights again even though Lisbie chested home a fine cross from Khela 10 minutes after the re-start. Sadly, from a Posh point of view, a poorly defended cross enabled Adam Reach to make it 4-2 and within two minutes and Lincoln always looked the most likely to score again.
Posh ‘keeper Alex Bass made one fine save with his foot to thwart substitute Justin Obikwu before Lincoln made it five for the second season in a row in this fixture when breaking away from a visiting corner.
Darikwa was the man to break clear and he ignored options either side of him to chip neatly over Bass. That’s 13 goals in the last three games for ‘The Imps’ against Posh. The gulf between the clubs 50 miles apart is that big.
Posh: Alex Bass, Carl Johnston, Tom O’Connor, Tom Lees, Peter Kioso, Brandon Khela (sub Cian Hayes, 73 mins), Archie Collins, Kyrell Lisbie, Matt Garbett (sub Dinay O’Brien-Brady, 73 mins), Declan Frith (sub Pemi Aederju, 60 mins), Harry Leonard.
Unused subs: Nicholas Bilokapic, George Nevett, James Dornelly, Gustav Lindgren.
Lincoln: George Wickens, Tendayi Darikwa, Sonny Bradley, Ryley Towler, Ivan Varfolomeev (sub Dom Jefferies, 65 mins), Tom Hamer, Adam Reach (sub Erik Ring, 79 mins), Conor McGrandles, Reeco Hackett, Rob Street (sub Jack Moylan, 86 mins)., Freddie Draper (sub Justin Obikwu, 65 mins).
Unused subs: Zach Jeacock, Lewis Monstma, Frankie Okoronkwo,
GOALS: Posh – Leonard (24 mins), Lisbie (55 mins).
Lincoln – Hackett (34 mins), Draper (45 mins), Darikwa (45 + 3 mins & 90+1 min), Reach (57 mins).
CAUTIONS: Posh – Collins (foul), Lisbie (foul), Leonard (foul).
Lincoln – Towler (foul), Obikwu (simulation).
REFEREE: Charles Breakspear 5.
ATTENDANCE: 9,833 (1,680 Posh).