Lincoln City 5-0 Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League One, LNER Stadium, Saturday 15 March 2025
Bristol Rovers’ challenges away from home continued as the Gas fell to a disappointing 5-0 defeat to Lincoln City.
Jovon Makama put the home side ahead on 31 minutes with a rocket of a strike from the left, giving the Imps the lead at half-time.
A brace of quick-fire finishes - via Tom Bayliss and James Collins - put Lincoln three goals ahead early in the second half before Makama struck twice again to wrap up his hat-trick and inflict a frustrating loss on Rovers.
A bright start for the hosts saw Bayliss’ early attempt blocked and scrambled away by Jack Hunt, before Reece Hackett’s well-taken effort forced Jed Ward into a smart save.
The Gas were largely limited in their chances in the opening period. Scott Sinclair’s low cross almost caused George Wickens a problem in the Lincoln area, after it flicked off a defender, before Kofi Shaw’s corner almost ended up in the Imps net courtesy of a Sean Roughan deflection.
Ward had to be aware to deny Makama on the left early on but could do little to stop Lincoln’s No27 from a similar position on 31 minutes, with the attacker powering in his attempt.
Hunt turned a header on target not long after for Rovers but it was Lincoln who had the deserved lead as referee Paul Howard signalled for half-time.
Head Coach Iñigo Calderón introduced Luke Thomas after the interval in the hope of forcing a way back into the fixture but Lincoln would grab another four minutes into the second half; Bayliss’ corner bamboozling everyone and ending up in the net via the far post.
Another four minutes later, and the Imps netted a third. Attacker Collins skipped away from his marker and bent in a well-taken finish to put the game beyond the Gas.
Substitute Thomas set up Ruel Sotiriou moments later but the Cypriot’s lashed effort was kept out smartly by Wickens, while Shaw saw two strikes blocked by Lincoln defenders.
The hosts got a fourth on 65 minutes. Makama was again involved, outmuscling Sil Swinkels to fire home, before completing his hat-trick and compounding another frustrating afternoon on the road for Rovers with ten minutes left to play.
Lincoln City: Wickens, Darikwa, Hackett (Gardner 71), Bayliss (Hamilton 71), McGrandles, O’Connor ©, Jefferies (Ring 69), Hamer, Roughan, Collins (House 69), Makama (Clucas 82)
Subs not used: Jeacock, Jackson
Goals: Makama 31, 65, 81, Bayliss 49, Collins 53
Bristol Rovers: Ward, Moore (Hutchinson 57), Wilson, Mola (Thomas 46), Sinclair ©, Sotiriou (Dewsbury 57), Taylor, Swinkels (Sousa 66), Butcher, Hunt, Shaw (Senior 82)
Subs not used: Hall (GK), Forde
Booked: Wilson
Referee: Paul Howard
Attendance: 8,506 (326 away)
