1 – 3
Did it deliver?
A fixture that delivered on its billing: four goals, six cards and a lively second half in which Lincoln pulled one back before Birmingham restored their two-goal lead. It was not a classic, but it was never dull.
Birmingham took the lead through August Priske Flyger after a spell of early pressure, then struck again at the start of the second half when he finished from Christoph Klarer's assist. Lincoln had more of the ball (55% possession, 403 passes to 334) but Birmingham created more of the chances, with 17 shots to 12 and five big chances to two. Tom Bayliss halved the deficit within three minutes, which briefly made it a contest. Birmingham responded quickly: Alex Cochrane scored from a corner, assisted by Ryan Allsop, to make it 1-3. Birmingham keeper-side work was busy, with five saves to Lincoln's two, and the visitors held firm in a bad-tempered finish with a run of bookings. The win keeps Birmingham in the hunt for the upper reaches of the table, while Lincoln's inability to turn possession into clear chances leaves them with questions at home.
Lincoln City
Birmingham City
Birmingham City•AttackerFreddie Draper takes a header shot but misses.
Yunus KonakYellow CardYunus Emre Konak receives a yellow card.
Marvin Ducksch comes on for Jay Stansfield.
Demarai Gray takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Tomoki Iwata's right-footed shot is blocked.
Shot with the right foot is saved.
Isaac Olaofe is substituted for Mikkel Ladefoged.
Bright Osayi-Samuel is on, and Ethan Laird is off.
Demarai Gray comes on for Patrick Roberts.
Chiedozie Ogbene comes on for Ben House.
On Robert Street, off Reeco Hackett-Fairchild.
Alex CochraneGoal! Alex Cochrane scores with a left-footed shot.
assist: Ryan Allsop
Goal! Alex Cochrane scores, making it 1-3, assisted by Ryan Allsopp.
Corner awarded.
Max Bird takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked on the line.
Offside.
Ethan Laird takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Patrick Roberts takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Ben House takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Max Bird is substituted for August Priske.
Liam Millar takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Tom BaylissTom Bayliss takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
assist: Mikkel Ladefoged
Goal! Tom Bayliss scores to make it 1-2, assisted by Mikkel Ladefoged.
August Priske FlygerShot! August Priske scores with a left-footed shot.
assist: Christoph Klarer
Goal! August Priske scores to make it 0-2, assisted by Christoph Klarer.
Freddie Draper comes on for Dom Jefferies.
Tom Bayliss is substituted for Ivan Varfolomeev.
Dom Jefferies takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Ben House takes a right-footed shot, but it misses the target.
Offside.
August Priske's right-footed shot is saved.
August Priske takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
On comes Ryan Allsopp, and off goes James Beadle.
Mikkel Ladefoged attempts a header but misses the shot.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
First half ends with the score at 0-1.
Deji Elerewe takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Dom Jefferies takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Yellow card issued to Dom Jefferies.
Tomoki Iwata takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Offside.
Corner awarded.
Dom Jefferies takes a shot with his head, but it's saved.
Ethan Laird Yellow CardEthan Laird receives a yellow card.
Liam Millar receives a yellow card.
Mikkel LadefogedYellow CardYellow card issued to Mikkel Ladefoged.
Jay Stansfield takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Jhon Elmer Solis Romero takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
August Priske FlygerAugust Priske scores with a left-footed shot.
Goal! August Priske scores to make it 0-1.
Jay Stansfield takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Offside.
Corner awarded.
Andrei Coubis takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Mikkel Ladefoged takes a right-footed shot that hits the post.
Alex Cochrane takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Kick-off! The referee is Lewis Smith.
