Head coach Michael Skubala was pleased with the way his team adapted in their success at P
Joe Taylor and Reeco Hackett fired the Imps to a fourth victory in five games, extending City’s unbeaten run to eight matches.
Skubala said: “It wasn’t pretty, classy, or anything that we consider pure but, as I’ve said to the players, it’s about finding a way to win and I’m really proud of them.
“In the morning because of Ben House falling ill, we had to switch some tactics around but the lads adapted really well.
“We knew with this pitch size and it being Darren Moore’s first home game in charge of Port Vale, we’d have to dig really deep. What I’m really pleased about is that we saw those qualities from the lads and they were ruthless.”
Making it two goals in two games, Taylor did not need to be asked twice when presented with an early opportunity. Nathan Smith played a free-kick without realising City’s No 9 was right in the path of where he wanted to send the ball, and he promptly fired home with goalkeeper Connor Ripley out of his goal.
Skubala said: “It doesn’t feel like we get them very often. We’ve spoken to Joe about working on his anticipation and being around things more, and that was the best example you can get of that.
“It can be difficult because when you score so early, the natural instinct is to sit off teams and not give up your lead. We weather a bit until half-time, and then at that point we regrouped, as we knew they’d throw everything at it, and to a man we did enough to win the game at a tough place to come and get points.”
The Imps sealed the points in stoppage time as Hackett converted after Dylan Duffy was fouled in the penalty area.
City have a chance to extend their current run to nine games when they host Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night at the LNER Stadium, but Skubala is staying grounded despite his side’s excellent recent run of form.
He said: “It’s pleasing but we take each game as it comes. We have to recover well, and then have another tough match at home against Shrewsbury on Tuesday, who won today. We’ll do the right things and move on.”
House missed out through sickness, while Skubala concluded with an update on midfielder Ethan Hamilton, who also missed out.
He added: “We’re not sure about Ethan as he has to see a specialist in London next week to establish what’s going on with his knee. We have to see what the specialist says.”
