'Skubala out-thought by former assistants'

[BBC] City manager Michael Skubala was tactically out-thought by his former assistants, Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw, as Lincoln earned the points in a dour encounter under the lights at Ashton Gate. The away side defended deep and there simply wasn't enough creativity in the City team to find a way through. One Imps player who would have drawn much personal satisfaction from a defence-inspired victory was Ryley Towler, who began his career at Ashton Gate before being deemed surplus to requirements. Towler initially moved to Portsmouth but then last year made the move north and was a virtual ever-present in the Lincoln team that ran away with the League One title. The goal that won the game was a defensive catastrophe for City. Keeper Sam Tickle threw the ball short to Lisav Eisatt who, under pressure, passed to his defensive partner Rob Dickie, who himself was under pressure from Lincoln's press. Careless is the only word to describe Dickie's pass back to Tickle which was mishit, allowing Lincoln's Ben House to tap the ball to Freddie Draper to turn into the empty net. [Getty Images] The night got even worse for Dickie who was stretchered off with what looked a potentially season-ending leg injury on 76 minutes. With the right-footed Noah Eile a ready-made replacement from the bench, Skubala, for reasons best known to himself, brought on the left-footed and certainly not aerially dominant Rob Atkinson for what was left of the game. With City in action again against Watford on Friday evening before the extended international break the fans will be waiting expectantly on Skubala's team selection. In a side lacking creativity surely there must be a start for Tomi Horvat. Striker Dom Ballard, whom City paid £5m to sign, is surely worth a start as a single striker and that is not a slight on Lorent Tolaj who has worked hard with little service. With Yu Hirakawa offering little in the way of end product (the Burnley winner aside) and Jed Wallace and Sam Greenwood not exactly pacy wide options, might Skubala be tempted to start Sam Bell who did enough in last season's closing months to earn a three-year contract? One thing City must do is give home supporters something to cheer on a more frequent basis. Last night's defeat meant they have only won nine of their past 25 games at Ashton Gate. You can hear more from David Pottier on the Forever Bristol City podcast .