Welington wondergoal not enough for Southampton in Lincoln draw

Welington scored a goal of the season contender from 35 yards just before half-time to give his side the lead and open his goal account for the club.

But Mikkel Ladefoged also netted his first for the Imps, on his second substitute appearance, two minutes from time after a spell of intense pressure.

Tonda Eckert's side might be built with a budget multiple times the size of Lincoln's, but they failed to deal with the physical threat posed.

The hosts deserved to take at least a point in what the locals were saying was their toughest test in a home league fixture in a generation.

Saints have both scored and conceded in their last nine league games, last having a longer such run in November 2009 (10 in a row in League One).

Saints had not visited Sincil Bank since 1996, in a League Cup tie, with the 10,780-seater hosting non-league football as recently as 2017.

Eckert made four changes to his team that drew 1-1 with Birmingham City on Tuesday, including the recall of captain Jack Stephens.

Welington also came into the side, with James Ward-Prowse making a first start in place of Cam Bragg and Kuryu Matsuki replacing Tom Fellows.

Deadline day signing Zach Abbott was named on the bench, with former Eastleigh striker Ben House returning from injury to start for the hosts.

Lincoln are the most direct team in the Championship, leading the early-season metrics for long balls as they aim to bypass the midfield.

They set the tone straight away by smashing their kick-off forward, while an air raid siren played through the stadium speakers every time they took a corner.

It caused problems for Saints, with Peretz forced to make smart saves at the start and the end of the half, and they were not the only chances.

Freddie Draper miskicked the most clear-cut opportunity inside the Saints box, while he later headed over the bar with a better effort at goal.

But Welington stole the show with a scorching strike and goal of the season contender from about 35 yards in the 44th minute of the first half.

The Brazilian stopped a short pass from Ward-Prowse and struck it with venom into the far top corner, towards the away fans behind the goal.

His compatriot, Scienza, almost produced something just as special in the second half, but his curling strike hit both posts and bounced clear.

That was his last touch as Eckert introduced Sam Edozie, who on deadline day publicly issued a transfer request, and Divin Mubama on the hour mark.

Saints took their slender lead into the final 15 minutes, and Andrei Coubis rifled over with a big chance to level as Lincoln threatened from set plays.

Eckert's substitutions failed to wrestle control of the game back from the hosts, so he sent Nathan Wood on to move to a five-at-the-back.

Substitute Chieo Ogbene was denied by Peretz's bridge when he was set through on goal, but six-foot five-inch Dane Ladefoged was not wasteful.

Reeco Hackett slipped between James Bree and Flynn Downes to chip a cross into the back-post, where the striker beat Nathan Wood to the ball.

The result means Saints have won two, drawn two and lost one of their opening five Championship fixtures, sitting on four points.

Lincoln City: Wickens; Reach, Coubis, Towler, McGrandles (Ogbene, 76), Bradley (Hackett, 63), Street (Ladefoged, 63), Varfolomeev (Konak, 63), Elerewe, Draper, House (Bayliss, 76).

Unused subs: Gauci, Jefferies, Olaofe, Elder.

Booked: Varfolomeev, McGrandles, Draper.

Saints: Peretz; Bree, Stephens, Schlotterbeck, Welington (Manning, 79); Downes, Ward-Prowse, Matsuki (Wood, 83), Azaz (Dobbin, 79), Scienza (Edozie, 62); Larin (Mubama, 62).

Unused subs: Long, Abbott, Bragg, Fellows.

Booked: N/A.

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