Lincoln City Ease To Win In Vertu Trophy

Lincoln City began their 2025/26 Vertu Trophy campaign in style with a commanding 3-0 win over Notts County at the LNER Stadium.

The result gave Michael Skubala’s side the perfect start in Group D, with goals from Sonny Bradley, Ben House and James Collins sealing victory. It takes the Imps unbeaten run to seven matches, with six wins in their opening nine fixtures.

Dominant Imps Make Changes Count

Skubala opted for rotation after the weekend draw with Mansfield Town, making nine changes to his starting line-up. Among them were deadline-day arrivals Adam Reach and Fin Barbrook, while Lewis Montsma featured for the first time this season.

It was County who fashioned the first clear chance when Conor Grant’s cutback found Tyrese Hall, though his strike was easily gathered by goalkeeper Zach Jeacock. The Imps soon took charge, and on eight minutes Reach delivered a pinpoint corner to the back post, where Bradley powered in his second goal in as many games.

Freddie Draper went close moments later, striking narrowly over, while Griffiths in the County goal denied the forward with a fine save from a Reach cross midway through the first half. Adam Jackson’s block kept the hosts ahead before Montsma’s volley was also deflected wide as City pushed for a second.

After the interval, Lincoln continued to create. Erik Ring’s long-range effort flew over before the second goal arrived on 58 minutes. Ring broke down the right and found House, who swept a composed finish beyond Griffiths.

The contest was settled 15 minutes from time when a defensive lapse from County allowed substitute Collins to slot home his first Imps goal. He might have had another late on, only for Griffiths to save his header from an Okoronkwo cross.

Skubala’s Squad Depth Shines

The head coach will have been encouraged by the way his reshuffled side controlled the contest. New signings Reach and Barbrook both looked assured on debut, while Montsma came through his return impressively. Oscar Thorn, who featured prominently, continues to grow in influence after his recent move from Colchester United.

County, fielding a youthful side, showed flashes of promise but struggled to recover once Bradley’s opener set the tone. A crowd of 2,526 watched on as City demonstrated the benefits of their strengthened squad in a competition designed to offer minutes to emerging and fringe players.

Writer’s View

This was the sort of performance Lincoln needed to underline the depth at Skubala’s disposal. With so many changes, the cohesion remained strong, and key figures like Reach and Okoronkwo offered glimpses of real quality. Collins finding the net will also be a timely confidence boost.

For a club balancing league ambitions with the demands of cup football, the Vertu Trophy may provide a valuable platform to build rhythm and spread opportunities across the group.