Will Lankshear, the much‑talked‑about acquisition, delivered a decisive second‑half brace as Middlesbrough rallied to claim a gritty 2-1 win, launching their Championship campaign and snapping Lincoln City’s remarkable nine‑month unbeaten streak. The Imps, celebrating their first appearance in the second tier in 65 years, burst out of the blocks and drew first blood in the 12th minute. Captain Tendayi Darikwa surged down the right flank, whipped in a precise cross and, after a quick interchange with Adam Reach, the latter unleashed a powerful left‑footed strike from about 15 yards that beat Middlesbrough goalkeeper Radek Vitek, putting Lincoln ahead. Middlesbrough’s manager Kim Hellberg, who had fielded a starting eleven featuring his summer signings Radek Vitek, Sebastian Berhalter, Will Lankshear and Kyle Joseph, along with returning loanees Alpha Kante and Neto Borges, instructed his side to press high and look for an equaliser.
The early period saw both teams create chances: Leo Castledine and Kante tested the Imps from distance, while Adilson Malanda headed towards goal only to be blocked by defender George Wickens. Dom Jefferies also threatened midway through the first half, but the visitors were unable to find a breakthrough before the break.
The second half began with Boro intensifying their efforts. Lankshear, making his league debut for the club after a high‑profile move from Tottenham, was a constant menace, forcing a number of saves and even having a shot deflected onto the post by Wickens. Middlesbrough’s pressure paid off in the 62nd minute when Callum Brittain delivered a low cross from the right.
Deji Elerewe headed it back towards the edge of the box, where Castledine’s angled drive was met by Lankshear, who instinctively redirected the ball into the net from six yards out, leveling the score. The drama escalated as the clock ticked toward full‑time. Lankshear, already on the scoresheet, struck the bar with a powerful effort, hinting at a possible third goal for Boro. However, it was the added‑time period that delivered the winner.
Substitute Riley McGree, having come on to provide fresh impetus on the right wing, delivered a superb pass that found Lankshear unmarked at the near post. The striker calmly slotted the ball home, securing a 2-1 victory for Middlesbrough and ending Lincoln’s 29‑game unbeaten run across all competitions that had begun in early December. Post‑match, Hellberg reflected on the performance: "In the first half we were outplayed; they deserved the lead even if they didn’t create many chances.
Our structure was off, and with so many new faces I didn’t communicate as clearly as I should have. I’m disappointed in that half, but the squad showed incredible character.
The second half was electric – the crowd, the energy, the relentless pressing – and the players repaid that with the goals." Lincoln’s joint head coaches, Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, who took charge after Michael Skubala’s departure to Bristol City, praised their side’s effort despite the loss. Cohen said, "The first half was exactly what we wanted – high intensity, constant pressure on their goal. In the second half we dropped deeper and lost our punch‑back, which against a team of this quality makes survival difficult.
We’re proud of the lads; they gave us belief that we can compete at this level." The match also highlighted the tactical shift for both clubs. Hellberg’s decision to start his summer signings paid dividends, particularly with Lankshear’s immediate impact. Meanwhile, Lincoln’s reliance on a squad that had secured the League One title last season demonstrated continuity, but the step up to the Championship exposed areas for improvement, especially in maintaining defensive shape after taking the lead.
Overall, the encounter was a classic debut narrative for Lankshear: a player heralded for his potential quickly becoming the hero, delivering both the equaliser and the winner in a tightly contested fixture. For Middlesbrough, the win provided a morale‑boosting start to a season that will demand consistency and resilience as they aim to re‑establish themselves among the league’s elite. For Lincoln, the defeat serves as a reminder of the fine margins at this level, but the spirited performance suggests they possess the foundation to challenge for survival and perhaps even a surprise push higher up the table. The result also marks a significant moment in the club histories: Middlesbrough, a club with a rich Championship pedigree, re‑asserting themselves after a period of rebuilding, and Lincoln City, ending a historic unbeaten run that had seen them dominate lower‑league football for months.
Both teams will now look ahead to their next fixtures, with Boro hoping to build on the momentum generated by Lankshear’s brace, and the Imps aiming to recover quickly and prove that their early-season form was not a one‑off. Fans of both sides will remember this match for its dramatic swing, the emergence of a new star, and the palpable tension that only a tightly contested promotion‑battle fixture can produce. As the season unfolds, the narrative of Lankshear’s impact and Lincoln’s resilience will continue to develop, offering plenty of intrigue for supporters and neutral observers alike.