Lankshear double steers Boro to victory

Marquee signing Will Lankshear notched a second-half double as Middlesbrough fought back to kick off their Championship bid with a hard-fought 2-1 victory and end newly promoted Lincoln's stunning nine-month unbeaten run. <p>The Imps - playing their first second-tier match in 65 years - made a strong start and opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Adam Reach.</p><p>But former Tottenham forward Lankshear marked his first league appearance since his much-hyped move to the Riverside by equalising just after the hour and then stabbing in a stoppage-time winner.</p><p>It was a devastating end for spirited Lincoln as a run of 29 games undefeated in all competitions since early December was brought to a halt in their first league match since their new joint head coach partnership of Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw stepped up to take the reins following the departure of boss Michael Skubala to Bristol City in May.</p><widget id="7"></widget><ul><li><a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/ChampHLsarticles"><strong>Watch FREE Championship highlights</strong></a> | <a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/EFLblogreports"><strong>Latest EFL news and rumours</strong></a></li><li><strong>Not got Sky? <a href="https://www.sky.com/tv/sports?dcmp=Ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink">Latest Sky Sports deals</a> or <a href="https://www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports/football/efl?DCMP=ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink">stream EFL games with no contract</a>\ud83d\udcfa</strong></li></ul><p>Boro boss Kim Hellberg included summer signings Radek Vitek, Sebastian Berhalter, Lankshear and Kyle Joseph in his starting XI while Alpha Kante and Neto Borges were also pitched in after returning from loan stints last season at St Etienne and Bristol City respectively.</p><p>The Lincoln side selected for their first Championship match since 1961 bore a far more familiar look, with all 11 starters having been part of the squad that cruised to the League One title last term.</p><p>The Imps' high-intensity start paid off when they took the lead with a goal involving both of their wing-backs. Captain Tendayi Darikwa was released down the right and his firm delivery across the box was met by Reach, who arrived from the left to rasp a ferocious left-footed shot beyond Vitek from 15 yards out.</p><p>Boro tried to summon a response and Leo Castledine and Kante both threatened from distance, while Adilson Malanda then saw a header held by George Wickens.</p><p>The visitors remained a threat, however, and Dom Jefferies had two opportunities midway through the half.</p><p>Boro cranked up the pressure towards the interval, with Lankshear threatening on a couple of occasions before Joseph's close-range shot was brilliantly pushed behind by Wickens.</p><p>The hosts continued to knock on the door after the break and Lankshear had a shot blocked by Wickens before Morgan Whittaker curled a free-kick just over.</p><p>Boro levelled in the 62nd minute when Callum Brittain's cross from the right was headed out by Deji Elerewe but only as far as Castledine whose angled drive across goal was diverted home instinctively from six yards out by Lankshear.</p><p>It looked like the hosts were going to be left frustrated when Lankshear hit the bar in the closing stages. But Boro's new striker provided the game's decisive moment as it entered added time when he turned the ball home at the near post after brilliant work on the right by sub Riley McGree to set him up.</p><h3>The managers</h3><p><em>Middlesbrough's Kim Hellberg:</em></p><p>"First half, they were better than us. I think it was a long time ago that the away team was better than us in the first half.</p><p>"They deserved to be ahead even if they didn't create many chances. But they were good in the press, we struggled with our way of playing, we didn't create much, so that was tough.</p><p>"I think, to be fair, I was not happy with my first half. My structure in the first half was not good enough, I should have helped the players better, so I think that's on me a little bit and how clear I could have been because it also needs even more (clarity) when you have a lot of new players.</p><p>"That's where I'm looking at myself and feeling disappointed, but I have an unbelievable squad of players and coaches that helped me and saved the day and won the game at the end.</p><p>"In the second half I think it's more about credit to the players for coming up with the passion and the crowd together with them. This place was electric in the second half and we just ran and chased the ball and got it into play all the time.</p><p>"In the second half I just have to say thank you to the players because I think they did it together with the crowd, so that's what it was about."</p><p><em>Lincoln's Chris Cohen:</em></p><p>"It was an amazing performance, the heart, the passion the boys played with. The first half was exactly what we wanted, we had them where we wanted to have them, with constant threat on their goal when we had possession.</p><p>"In the second half, we just dropped a little bit too deep, lost our punch-back and when you do that against really good teams, you might not survive as much as we did last year. That was the lesson.</p><p>"We're amazingly proud of the players. Boro probably should have gone up as one of the top two last year and have invested really heavily as well, so we know that that'll be as tough a test as we'll have all season away from home.</p><p>"But what a performance in that first half to give us belief in terms of what we're able to do even at the next level."</p><h3>What the result means and next fixtures...</h3> <widget id="4"></widget><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.skysports.com/championship-scores-fixtures">Championship fixtures</a></strong></li></ul> <widget id="1"></widget>

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