Enzo Maresca, the Chelsea head coach, admitted he had to get angry with his players as they trailed League One Lincoln City at half‑time but believes his young players will be better for the experience of overcoming such an intense battle.
Lincoln scored from 30 set-pieces last season, more than any other side in the top four English divisions, and led after a ferocious barrage of long balls and long throw-ins in the opening 45 minutes.
Rob Street, who turns 24 on Friday, must have thought his birthday had come early when he gave Lincoln a deserved lead at the end of a bemusing first half in which Chelsea, fresh from defeats against Manchester United and Bayern Munich, were outfought.
However, two goals within the first five minutes of the restart – from Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte – denied Michael Skubala’s side a famous cup victory.
Chelsea unsurprisingly made eight changes but, unexpectedly to the neutral, allowed themselves to be bullied for the first half. Filip Jörgensen, the goalkeeper who came in after Robert Sánchez’s red card at Old Trafford, again struggled to dominate his area.
