Rivals will want to spoil Lincoln's party - Skubala
Lincoln City and Exeter City players clashed after the Imps' win on Tuesday
- Published
Boss Michael Skubala says Lincoln City must get used to dealing with rivals trying to spoil their promotion party after celebrations at Exeter City turned into a melee at St James Park.
The Imps moved four points clear at the top of League One after overcoming the Grecians 1-0 on Tuesday night.
Victory was celebrated wildly at full-time against an Exeter side that snatched a late victory at Lincoln in October to become the only side to beat the Imps in a League One game at the LNER Stadium this season.
It is a result Skubala said his players had not forgotten and accepts it would have played a part in how the two teams confronted one another after the full-time whistle on Tuesday night.
"They definitely celebrated at our place when they got a smash-and-grab so I think that the lads returned the celebrations and it probably got out of hand how we were celebrating," Skubala told BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
Skubala said "character, passion" and a desire to win all played a part in the post-match scenes, just as they were an integral part in a victory that edges them closer to promotion to the Championship – a level the club has not played at for 65 years.
Lincoln's latest win strengthened their hold on automatic promotion by putting them 13 points clear of third-placed Bolton Wanders in the play-off places with just 10 matches remaining.
Skubala has warned his players they have become the division's most desirable scalp.
"When you are where we are in the league and are going well, teams want to beat us," he said.
"I've told the lads that the reality now is that teams want to come and spoil your party, that's what they start talking about.
"We want to make sure we are focused and we go again."
After back-to-back wins on the road in the space of four days, including Saturday's victory against second-placed Cardiff City, Lincoln return home to face fellow promotion-hopefuls Stockport County on Saturday (12:30 GMT).
"We have to see how we can keep improving because we have to, as teams around us will keep improving," Skubala said.
"It's not done, we have to keep putting points on the board."
