Lincoln boss Michael Skubala believes Paudie O’Connor’s game-changing red card in his side’s 2-1 defeat to Northampton was harsh.
Jon Guthrie and Kieron Bowie put the visiting Cobblers 2-0 up with goals either side of the break at Sincil Bank.
Timothy Eyoma halved the deficit on the hour mark, before O’Connor was sent off for a stray elbow with 15 minutes to go.
Skubala said: “I don’t think it’s a sending-off, I’ve seen it back and I don’t think it’s a sending-off and that changes the game.
“I think he’s gone to jump. I’ve only seen a clip, he’s not got his elbow out he’s gone to jump in the air and he needs to use his hands to get up.
“For me it’s a yellow card, it’s not a red card. We now lose Paudie, because he’s been sent off already this season, for six or seven games. That’s a big loss.”
And on the game, a third straight defeat, Skubala added: “It was another tough night in terms of result and performance.
“The goal we conceded first took the wind out of us. Maybe Lukas (Jensen) didn’t need to come for that.
“Even then, I tried to get them to be aggressive with 10 men. It was a really tough day at the office.
“It’s one of the things I’m grappling with is that when we have a knock we go really passive when I want us to be aggressive.
“We just need to keep pushing the game and being aggressive. Sometimes that can be inexperience.
“It’s the mentality, it’s the aggression. Sometimes we’ve been naive. It’s the mentality, 100 per cent.”
Northampton boss Jon Brady celebrated the victory by pounding his chest a la Jose Mourinho.
He said: “The emotion just took over. I don’t usually do that but I wanted to enjoy the win and celebrate with our supporters.
“With the circumstances, having so many players out, and it being backs to the wall, the whole team really came to the fore.
“To get a win away from home and to bounce back after Boxing Day and have the character to do that, fair play to the boys.
“It was just a release of emotion at the end and it feels great. You have to enjoy these moments. I’m proud of the boys. It feels like such a huge win.”
Ahead of a clash with Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, he added: “But that will be gone in 10 or 15 minutes because this period’s such a turnaround.
“Both teams are two of the most in-form teams at the moment. Cheltenham are on a good run.
“You cannot underestimate them because Darrell (Clarke) has got them firing and they’re climbing up the league now. We’re in for a hell of a battle.
“Thanks to all the fans for a fantastic year and here’s to 2024.”
Klopp jokes he 'doesn't like Maddison' after failing to block Kompany winner
Jurgen Klopp has joked he doesn't like James Maddison after the midfielder's failure to block Vincent Kompany's long-range winner in the 2018-19 season.
With the title race that campaign nearing its conclusion, Manchester City and Liverpool were going toe-to-toe at the Premier League summit.
City faced Leicester City in their penultimate game, and with the contest 0-0 with 20 minutes left, the ball sat up for Kompany to shoot from range with Maddison in the vicinity.
Maddison failed to block the effort, and Kompany's drive flew into the top corner before City ultimately went on to claim the title.
Klopp has joked that he now feels differently about Maddison following that incident, telling The Redmen TV: "The moment when Vinny Kompany fires the ball, I'm really happy I didn't get a stroke because that's how it must feel.
"I was watching thinking, 'Maddison, block him, close him down!'
"And since then, I don't like Maddison! I was also angry with Brendan [Rodgers, then Leicester manager] that day, because he should have taken him off, he was tired.
"It's a personal thing. Of course, I have no problem."
Leeds United 4-0 Norwich City (4-0 agg): Whites book Wembley spot in emphatic fashion
Leeds United thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final to seal their place at Wembley.
After a goalless draw in the first leg left it all to play for at Elland Road on Thursday, Leeds turned on the style in front of a raucous home crowd to cruise into the final on May 26.
Ilia Gruev settled the majority of Elland Road's nerves with just seven minutes played as he caught out Angus Gunn with a long-range free-kick, curling into the space vacated by the Norwich goalkeeper's expectation of a cross.
Joel Piroe then doubled the hosts' advantage 13 minutes later, again capitalising on poor goalkeeping to beat Gunn to Wilfried Gnonto's cross and nod home.
The tie was effectively over five minutes from half-time, Georginio Rutter getting on the end of Crysencio Summerville's squared pass to rifle off the underside of the crossbar and in.
And after Gunn spilled Gnonto's low shot in the second half, Rutter cut the ball back for Summerville to poke home and secure Leeds' place in next Sunday's final, where they will meet either Southampton or West Brom.
Data debrief
Leeds may have looked pretty blunt in attack at Carrow Road, but that was far from the case on home soil as they put the Canaries to the sword in brutal fashion while keeping a 21st Championship clean sheet this season, more than any other side.
Daniel Farke's men produced 2.45 xG (expected goals) to Norwich's 0.51, while Summerville made it 20 league goals for the season, more than any other Leeds player.
Sanderson predicting Chelsea to win 'down-to-the-wire' WSL title race
Lianne Sanderson believes Chelsea will get over the line in the Women's Super League (WSL) title race this weekend.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes previously declared the WSL title race as "done" following her side's 4-3 defeat to Liverpool in early May, but two wins since and a loss for title rivals Manchester CIty against Arsenal mean her team head into the final game top and with a superior goal difference.
Chelsea's goal difference of +47 to City's +45 could prove crucial as Hayes' side take on Manchester United this weekend looking to clinch the title.
City, meanwhile, travel to take on Aston Villa looking to overturn the goal difference deficit, but Sanderson feels Chelsea will get the job done.
"Obviously it's great for the neutral. For the fans, it's fantastic," Sanderson told Stats Perform.
"I think Emma Hayes obviously kind of somewhat accepted defeat a couple of weeks ago, which was surprising. Sometimes your emotions get the better of you. Emma Hayes is one of the best coaches in the world.
"Manchester City have had the best year I think they've had since Gareth Taylor has been there, taking over from Nick Cushing.
"It's going to go down to the wire. Personally, I still think Chelsea might do it."
With Sanderson predicting City to miss out on the WSL title, Sanderson feels Taylor's job should have come under more threat than it has.
"I've said many times that Gareth Taylor, I think hasn't come under as much pressure as he probably should have," Sanderson said.
"I think if he was in the men's game it would have been interesting because they've not qualified for the Champions League, they've been knocked out of preliminary rounds and those types of things."
However, Sanderson also gave Taylor credit for his persistence in what has occasionally been a challenging tenure.
"It's been interesting, but fair play to Gareth Taylor because he's persevered," Sanderson added.
"They've had loads of players over the years, you know Carli Lloyd, Rose Lavelle, the list could go on and it just hasn't really worked out, not due to those players, but sometimes you must find the right balance. I think finally, they found the right balance."
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