Middlesbrough turned an opening-day deficit into victory at the Riverside Stadium, with Will Lankshear's second-half double — the second arriving deep into stoppage time — securing a 2-1 win over Lincoln City in a contest that flickered between scrappy and compelling in equal measure.
Lincoln had stunned the hosts inside 12 minutes. Adam Reach met Tendayi Darikwa's low cross from the right and tucked beyond the keeper, handing the Imps a dreamlike start to their Championship campaign. The goal silenced the Riverside early on, yet Middlesbrough's dominance in possession — they would finish the match with 77% — gradually began to press Lincoln deeper and deeper into their own half.
The hosts' first-half pressure yielded little of substance, however. Lincoln, playing with the compact shape that has become the hallmark of visiting sides in the Championship, frustrated Boro's attacking flow. On 36 minutes, Freddie Draper was booked for unsportsmanlike conduct, a yellow that perhaps reflected the mounting frustration at the Riverside as clear-cut chances eluded the home side. At the interval, Lincoln clung to their advantage despite having mustered only a handful of genuine threats.
The second half told a starkly different story. On 62 minutes, Lankshear swept home an equaliser to level the tie — a strike that seemed to unsettle Lincoln's resolve. Middlesbrough then flooded the pitch with fresh legs; inside three minutes, the hosts had made three substitutions, bringing on Riley McGree, Myles Peart-Harris, and Maximilian Arfsten. The cavalry had arrived, and Lincoln — already weakened by their own double change on 59 minutes — began to wilt under the relentless pressure.
The decisive moment arrived in the dying embers. Deep into stoppage time, on 90+1, Lankshear struck again, this time with the assist credited to McGree, firing Middlesbrough ahead and condemning the visitors to a heartbreaking defeat. Lincoln's late protests — Isaac Olaofe was booked for a foul on 89 minutes — counted for nothing as the Riverside faithful erupted.
Adilson Malanda was the standout performer for Middlesbrough, earning a rating of 7.9 for his commanding display at the back, whilst Luke Ayling complemented his team-mate's solidity with a 7.5 contribution across the full 90 minutes. For Lincoln, Ben House — brought on after 71 minutes — managed a respectable 7.3 rating despite his side's ultimate defeat.
As BBC Sport reported, Lankshear's decisive brace capped a dramatic turnaround, with Middlesbrough's second-half intensity proving the difference-maker. The hosts' willingness to commit bodies forward after the interval, bolstered by McGree's creative intervention, overwhelmed a Lincoln side that had threatened to spring the season's first major upset. The Imps' backline, which had held firm for 62 minutes, simply could not weather the storm once the onslaught intensified.
The win lifts Middlesbrough to three points on the opening weekend and sets a positive tone for their Championship campaign. Lincoln, for their part, showed character in taking the lead but will rue their inability to manage the game's tempo and Middlesbrough's second-half assault. Next up for Boro is a trip to face West Brom, whilst the Imps host Sunderland in what promises to be a defining encounter in their bid to establish themselves at this level.