Chris Maguire scored a hattrick on his return to the SOL as Lincoln City beat ten-man Sunderland 3-1 on Tuesday evening after a disappointing showing from Lee Johnson’s side. Maguire opened the scoring in the first half with a spectacular strike before winning a penalty in the second which he converted after Carl Winchester was sent off for the foul. Sunderland pulled a goal back through Ross Stewart but as the lads went in search of something from the game, they were hit on the break with Maguire pouncing for his third.
After the draw with Wycombe at the weekend Lee Johnson was forced into one change with Corry Evans missing out after his head injury and the midfielder was replaced by Jack Diamond. Former Sunderland midfielder Chris Maguire lined up for Lincoln and he got the game underway with the visitors kicking towards the North Stand.
It was a scrappy opening to the game with both sides getting into decent positions but then failing to find a final ball to create a chance. Both sides were guilty of cheaply conceding possession before Chris Maguire was booked for an awful challenge on Carl Winchester with Maguire lucky not to be sent off.
The visitors had the first effort strike at goal after 15 minutes when Sunderland lost possession and Lincoln played the ball out to the right wing for Morgan Whittaker. He drove into the right-hand side of the box and struck a decent effort at goal, but Patterson was equal to it and held it relatively comfortably.
A couple of minutes later Sunderland won a free kick in a decent position about 25 yards goal after Jack Diamond was hacked down running towards goal. However, Sunderland wasted the free kick with Pritchard trying to flick the ball over the wall but the inform playmaker didn’t get enough on it and Lincoln were able to clear.
After 25 minutes Sunderland forced a corner when Timothy Eyoma blocked Ross Stewart’s first sight of goal with a sliding tackle. The corner was put behind for another corner from the opposite side which was swung into the front post but easily cleared with everything the lads trying just not seeming to come off.
On the half hour Lincoln took the lead after Sunderland switched off after Lynden Gooch conceded a foul. Lincoln took the free kick quickly with Sunderland’s defence static allowing Hakeeb Adelakun space in the box to shoot but his effort was blocked.
The loose ball however sat up kindly for Chris Maguire who caught a half volley sweetly which swerved into the bottom left-hand corner with Patterson unable to keep it out. Maguire then held up his hands almost apologetically to the home fans before racing to celebrate in front of Lee Johnson.
Sunderland tried to respond immediately with Dan Neil finding Ross Stewart in the box, but the Scot’s header was tipped over and the lads again wasted the corner. Five minutes before the break Carl Winchester picked up yellow card after exacting some retribution on Chris Maguire with a strong challenge on the halfway line.
There was three minutes added time, but Sunderland couldn’t muster an effort on goal and there were a few boos which greeted the half time whistle. Neither side made any changes at the break before the lads got the second period started.
A couple of minutes into the second half Sunderland went close to an equaliser after Lynden Gooch and Alex Pritchard combined on the right wing. Gooch eventually found space to cross after checking back onto his left foot and the American delivered a good ball to the back post for Ross Stewart whose header was deflected behind for a corner. Alex Pritchard clipped the corner into the front post and though it was flicked on by a red and white shirt the visitors again cleared.
Ten minutes into the second half things went from bad to worse for Sunderland when Lincoln doubled their lead from the penalty spot with Chris Maguire getting his second of the game emphatically blasting the ball into the top left-hand corner past Anthony Patterson.
Sunderland had lost possession cheaply allowing Whittaker to slide a ball behind Sunderland’s backline which Tom Flanagan tried to intercept but made a total hash of by missing the ball. The ball was seized upon by Maguire who took a touch before being bundled over in the box by Winchester who was shown a straight red card after the ref pointed to the spot.
With 25 minutes to go Lee Johnson attempted to get Sunderland back in the game with a double change with Jack Diamond and Dennis Cirkin replaced by Aiden O’Brien and Denver Hume. Sunderland were then awarded a lifeline from the penalty spot after Alex Pritchard was fouled in the box after seizing on O’Brien’s cross. Ross Stewart took the penalty but saw the keeper dive to his left and save his low effort, but he followed in and bundled in the ball with the Lincoln keeper unable to get it under control.
Sunderland went close to an equaliser when a diagonal ball into the box from a free kick was headed goalward by Ross Stewart with the keeper caught in no man’s land, but a Lincoln defender hooked it clear off the line. Soon after Elliot Embleton was found in a decent position on the edge of the box by Dan Neil, but his shot was pushed behind for a corner. Alex Pritchard swung the ball into the box which Ross Stewart rose highest too but nodded over with Sunderland showing in five minutes more urgency and desire than they had in the game so far.
As Sunderland piled forward in search of an equaliser, they were caught on the break by Lincoln with Chris Maguire netting a hattrick on his return to the SOL. Sunderland had forced a corner which was cleared to the edge of the box as far as Lynden Gooch, but he totally missed the ball attempting to shoot allowing Whittaker to break forward. Whittaker then slipped the ball into the Sunderland half for Maguire to run onto in acres of space before he lifted the ball over Patterson into the top right-hand corner.
Josh Hawkes replaced Alex Pritchard for the final ten minutes of the game which was stop start with both sides committing niggly fouls. There was six minutes added time and it was Lincoln who could have added to their lead with Sunderland almost caught out again, but Tom Flanagan managed to intercept a through ball.
Tempers flared at the death after a rash challenge by Callum Doyle which sparked a melee and ugly scenes on the touchline with both sets of players and benches getting involved. Callum Doyle was shown a yellow card before Lee Johnson was shown a red and sent to the stands to round off a miserable evening for the lads.
Final Score: Sunderland 1 Lincoln City 3
ALS Man of the Match: Ross Stewart
