Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 4, Lincoln City 1.
BlackburnBlackburn Rovers4Lincoln CityLincoln City1
A dominant second-half performance helped Blackburn Rovers overcome League Two leaders Lincoln 4-1 in the Carabao Cup second round.
The 2002 winners took an early lead through Joe Nuttall's close-range finish but Joan Luque hit back in the first half on his full debut.
Goals after the break from Danny Graham, Paul Downing and Kasey Palmer made the tie safe for the hosts.
Rovers remain unbeaten in all competitions this season.
Both sides made sweeping changes from their weekend league fixtures.
Rovers gave academy graduate Joe Grayson his debut - part of six alterations - while Lincoln made seven, handing debuts to Adam Crookes, Sam Slocombe and Luque.
The Championship side took the lead with the first attack in the fourth minute as Craig Conway's whipped cross was thrashed goalwards by Nuttall. He reacted quickest to the blocked shot to hammer home his first of the season from close range.
Danny Cowley's side regained their composure and Luque's immaculate control from a long ball set up a chance, but David Raya saved his low drive.
The Imps hit back in the 29th minute when Matt Rhead cushioned a header perfectly into the path of Luque, who had time to steady himself before lashing a low effort in at the near post from the left.
Matt Green almost benefited from a defensive mix-up between Grayson and Amari'i Bell, but slammed into the side netting from an awkward angle.
Nuttall badly miscued a free header at the start of the second half but Graham saved his blushes in the 49th minute, latching on to Lewis Travis' pass to confidently tuck his second goal of the season into the bottom corner.
It was all Blackburn by this point and, although Slocombe saved well from Joe Rothwell, he could do nothing in the 61st minute when Paul Caddis' cut-back found Downing, who stroked home a low shot with aplomb.
Conway's magnificent curling strike from the left drifted wide of the far post soon after.
But Palmer put the exclamation mark on the performance in the 77th minute, curling home a free-kick from 25 yards with power and precision for his second goal in two games.
Report supplied by Press Association.
Line-ups
Blackburn
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Raya
- 2Nyambe
- 25Downing
- 35Grayson
- 16Caddis
- 27TravisSubstituted forTomlinsonat 81'minutes
- 8RothwellSubstituted forPalmerat 60'minutes
- 32Conway
- 17Bell
- 24Nuttall
- 10GrahamSubstituted forButterworthat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Smallwood
- 13Leutwiler
- 26Lenihan
- 28Tomlinson
- 31Bennett
- 34Butterworth
- 45Palmer
Lincoln City
Formation 4-4-2
- 24Slocombe
- 23Eardley
- 5Shackell
- 15Wilson
- 20Crookes
- 26Anderson
- 4O'ConnorBooked at 52minsSubstituted forPettat 62'minutes
- 12Chapman
- 19LuqueSubstituted forCarvalho Andradeat 63'minutes
- 10Green
- 9RheadSubstituted forAkindeat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gordon
- 7Pett
- 8Frecklington
- 11Carvalho Andrade
- 14Toffolo
- 21Smith
- 29Akinde
- Referee:
- Geoff Eltringham
- Attendance:
- 5,211
Match Stats
Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamLincoln City
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 4, Lincoln City 1.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match Joe Grayson (Blackburn Rovers) because of an injury.
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Foul by Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers).
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Matt Green (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jason Shackell (Lincoln City).
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Hand ball by Paul Downing (Blackburn Rovers).
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Attempt blocked. Bruno Andrade (Lincoln City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Willem Tomlinson (Blackburn Rovers).
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Adam Crookes (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Joe Nuttall (Blackburn Rovers).
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Tom Pett (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Willem Tomlinson replaces Lewis Travis because of an injury.
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Attempt saved. Paul Caddis (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Goal!
Goal! Blackburn Rovers 4, Lincoln City 1. Kasey Palmer (Blackburn Rovers) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Post update
Joe Nuttall (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by James Wilson (Lincoln City).
Post update
Attempt saved. Daniel Butterworth (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
