Football / Coca-Cola Cup: Salako's sorcery

Lincoln City. . . .1

Crystal Palace. . .1

(Palace win 4-2 on aggregate)

A COLD night at Sincil Bank in the Coca-Cola Cup is a far cry from Wembley and the World Cup, but the case for John Salako's England recall gained further momentum last night.

The Crystal Palace winger, who is in Graham Taylor's squad for the match against Norway next Wednesday, tormented the Lincoln defence with his speed and trickery and proved that he is all but back to his best after a 10-month absence through injury. With Salako a constant threat, Lincoln were never able to attack in sufficient numbers to pose a serious threat in this second-round, second-leg match.

An 89th-minute goal by Graham Bressington in the first leg, reducing the arrears to 3-1, had given Lincoln some cause for hope, but in the early stages here it was Palace who took command. Salako, switched into the attack in place of the cup-tied Chris Armstrong, had already troubled the home defence with several penetrating runs before he set up a goal after 19 minutes.

John Humphrey released Salako on the right and his cross to the far post was headed back across goal by Geoff Thomas into the path of Gareth Southgate, who scored from six yards.

Eight minutes later, however, the home side were level. John Schofield's perceptive pass sent David Puttnam clear and the Lincoln striker calmly lofted the ball over the advancing Nigel Martyn.

Lincoln had been curiously subdued until that point but, inspired by the goal, they at last put Palace under some pressure. However, their moves usually broke down on the edge of the penalty area and as the half ended Palace again took command, Thomas going close after a storming run down the left.

Salako's pace again carved open the Lincoln defence six minutes into the second half, but Ian Pollitt just managed to palm his cross from the byline beyond the reach of the lurking Williams. When Salako broke clear again six minutes later he elected to shoot, but powered his drive over the crossbar.

Lincoln attacked with passion and frequently had the Palace defence back-pedalling, but Martyn was rarely troubled.

Lincoln City: Pollitt; Baraclough, Clarke, Carmichael (Smith, 79 min), Dunphy, Brown, Schofield, Bressington, Lee, Kabia (Alexander, 80 min), Puttnam.

Crystal Palace: Martyn; Humphrey, Sinnott, Southgate, Young, Osborn, Williams, Coleman, Thomas (Collymore, 73 min), Salako, McGoldrick. Substitute not used: Patterson.

Referee: R Dilkes (Mossley).